Narrative of Sojourner Truth; a bonds-woman of olden time, emancipated by the New York Legislature in the early part of the present century; with a history of her labors and correspondence drawn from her "Book of life."

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SOJOURNER TRUTH'S
NARRATIVE AND BOOK OF LIFE.

Sojourner Tmutm,

"THE LIBYAN SIBYL."

NARRATIVE

OF

r\ T

PR TRUTH;

31 §0nijstooman at §lku %m,

Emancipated by the New York Legislature in the Early Part oi
the Present Century ;

WITH A HISTORY OF HER

LABOES AND CORRESPONDENCE

DRAWN FROM HER

''(BOOK OF LIFE."

— ♦•^-

BATTLE CREEK, MICH.:

PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR.

187S.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875,

By Mrs. FRANCES VV. TITUS,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

American Unive.-srty

A PREFACE

■WHICH WAS INTENDED FOR A POSTSCRIPT.

Sojourner Truth once remarked, in reply to an
allusion to the late Horace Greeley, " You call him a
self-made man ; well, I am a self-made woman." The
world is ever ready to sound the praises of the so-
called self-made men ; i. e., those men who in the full
possession of freedom, lacking nothing but wealth,
achieve distinction and success.

It is now asked to accord a modicum of honor to a
woman who labored forty long and weary years a
slave; to whom the paths of literature and science
were forever closed ; one who bore the double burdens
of poverty and the ban of caste, yet who, despite all
these disabilities, has acquired fame, and gained hosts
of friends among the noblest and best of the dominant
race. The reasons for presenting the history of this
remarkable woman to the public are twofold.

First, that the world, and more especially the
young, may be benefited by the wisdom of one who
escaped unscathed from the consuming fires of slavery,
as did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the
flames of the fiery furnace.

<T)

-Vl PREFACE.

In the autumn of 1876, a report of her decease was
widely circulated. How this occui-red we know not.
Possibly, because her twin sister, the Century, had
just expired. No prayers addressed, or oblations
poured out to the gods, could induce them to grant it
an extra hour. But Sojourner grandly outrode the
storm which wrecked the Century. Her mind is as
clear and vigorous as in middle age. Her finely
molded form is yet unbent, and its grand height and
graceful, wavy movements remind the observer of her
lofty cousins, the Palms, which keep guard over the
sacred streams where her forefathers idled away their
childhood days.

Doubtless, her blood is fed by those tropical fires
which had slumberingly crept through many genera-
tions, but now awaken in her veins ; akin to those riv-
ers which mysteriously disappear in the bosom of the
desert, and unexpectedly burst forth in springs of pure
and li-'ng water. This heritage, and the law of the
survival of the fittest, may explain the secret of her
longevity.

The first 128 pages of this book are reprinted from
stereotype plates made in 1850. Since then, moment-
ous changes have taken place. Slavery has been
swallowed up in a Red Sea of blood, and the slave has
emerged from the conflict of races transformed from a
chattel to a man. Holding the ballot, the black man
enters the halls of legislation, and his rights are recog-

PREFACE. VU

nized there. " God was not dead," and in looking
back to the Egypt of their captivity, Sojourner sees
that her people have been guided through the dark
wilderness of oppression by the " pillar of cloud and of

fire."

Her race now stands on the Pisgah of freedom,
looking into the promised land, where the culture
which has so long been denied them can, by their
own efi'orts, be obtained. " The Lord executeth right-
eousness and judgment for all that are oppressed."
" O give thanks unto the Lord ; for he is good ; for
his mercy endureth forever." " Sing ye to the Lord,
for he hath .triumphed gloriously." " Who is like un-
to thee, O Lord 1 who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders 1 "

Sojourner has stood before this nation many years,
advocating the cause of human rights, and yet she
presses on, feeling that her century of toil does not ex
onerate her from the service of her Divine Master,
while his " Come labor in my vineyard," is responded
to by so few.

Her sun of life is about to dip below the horizon ;
but flashes of wit and wisdom still emanate from her
soul, like the rays of the natural sun as it bursts forth
from a somber cloud, baptiziug earth and sky with the
radiance of its expiring glory.

Bishop Haven says, "There is no more deserving
lady in the land than Sojourner Truth. As one of

VIU PREFACE.

the fkmous women of these famous times, covering in
her own experience the emancipation era, from the
declaration of New York in 1817, to Abraham Lin-
coln's proclamation, she deserves especial honor. The
nation could rightfully grant her a pension for her
services in the war, no less than for her labors since
the war, for the amelioration of those yet half en-
slaved."

The second and most important reason for offering
this book to the public is, that by its sale she may be
kept from want in these her last days. Should it
prove a success, the desired end will be accomplished.

The following letter appeared in the Anti Slavery
Standard after the first issue of the " Narrative and
Book of Life" of Sojourner Truth. Wishing to give
it to the public, we insert it in the preface : —

" Battlb Creek, Mich., Apr. 14, 1863.
" Oliver Johnson : —

" Dear Friend — Permit me, through
the columns of The Standard, in behalf of Sojovuner
Truth, whom your readers so well remember, to ac-
knowledge the receipt of the several donations from
her many generous friends, all of which have been
gratefully received by her. Piinted words can never
convey such deep and heartfelt gratitude as she feels.
The donors needed but to have seen the expression of
her dark, care-worn face and heard her words of gen-

PREFACE. ix

nine thankfulness, to have realized that indeed it is
' more blessed to give than to receive.'

" As we opened the letters, one by one, and read
the words of sweet remembrance and kindness, she
was quite overcome with joy, and more than once
g ive utterance to her feelings through her tears ;
praising the Lord who had so soon answered her
prayer, which was, in language from the depths of
her soul, as she sat weary and alone in her quiet lit-
tle home : ' Lord, I'm too old to work — I'm too sick
to hold meetings and speak to de people, and sell my
books ; Lord, you sent de ravens to feed 'Lijah in de
wildeiness ; now send de good angels to feed me
while I live on dy footstool.'

" No sooner had the appeal gone forth, than the an-
swers came from the East and West, accompanied
with material aid to supply her physical needs. Then
again she exclaimed in words of deepest gratitude :
* Lord, I knew dy laws was sure, but I did n't t'ink
dey would work so quick.' The words of friendship
and sympathy that filled every letter were a source of
great joy and consolation to her, and when the com-
forting message from Gerrit Smith came, saying, ' So-
journer, the God whom you so faithfully serve will
abundantly bless you, he will suffer you to lack noth-
ing either in body or soul,' she threw up her hands,
and, in her deep-toned voice, said, ' De Lord bless
de man ! his heart is as big as de nation, and if he

X PRKFATE.

had n't sent a penny, his words would feed my soul,
and dat is what we all want.' Then she mentioned
Samuel Hill, of Northainpton, Mass., where she lived
fifteen years, saying that his noble, generous heart
had done a great deal for her. Ofbtimes the ecstasy
of her soul would gash forth in all its original vigor
and freshness at the thought of her many friends and
their quick responses. She once said to me, * I tell
you, chile, de Lord manages everything ; you see when
you wrote dat letter, you did n't think you was doing
much, but I tell you, dear lamb, dat when a thing is
done in de right spirit, God takes it up and spreads it
all over de countiy.'

" She wishes the friends to know that the 'little
curly-headed, jolly grandson,' whom Mrs. Stowe so
graphically describes, is now grown to a tall, able-
bodied lad, and has just enlisted in the 54th Massa-
chusetts Regiment; gone forth with her prayers and
blessings, she says, ' to redeem de white people from
de curse dat God has sent upon thsm.' The glorious
news of old Massachusetts leading in the van for the
right of the colored man to fight, has just reached
here, and she seems at times to be filled with all the
fire and enthusiasm of her former years. She says if
she were only ten years younger, she would be ' on
hand as the Joan of Arc to lead de army of de Lord ;
for now is de day and now de hour for de colored man
to save dia nation ; for dere sin have been so great dat

PREFACE. XI

dey do n't know God, nor God do n't know dem.' I
never heard her speak with greater force and power
than she did the other day when some friends called
to see her. She says this is all the way she has now
to preach. She often speaks of T. W. Higginson and '
Frances D. Gage — thinks ' dey are appointed of God
to fill de position dey have taken.' As I closed the
interview, Sojourner called down many blessings on
all who have helped her to live and ' do good in de
world.'

" I will give the names of the donors, so far as I
know them, and if any have sent whose names do not
appear, perhaps they will write, or they will yet come
to hand.

" Yours truly,

" Phebe H, M. Sticknet."

At the time the foregoing letter was received, in
1863, Sojourner thought herself too old and infirm to
either labor or lecture. But as the war of the Rebell-
ion, which was then stirring the pvilses of the nation
so deeply, progressed, she experienced a new baptism,
so to speak, of physical and mental vigor, which en
abled her to take an active part in many of its stirring
scenes. She received her commission from Abraham
Lincoln, and labored in the hospitals and among the
freedmen four years.

Since the war, ber life has been one of activity.

3m PREFACE.

Now, in 1878, she ovei-sees her own household mat-
ters, and often gives three public lectures in a week.
Within the past year, she has held meetings in thirty-
six towns in Michigan. Her health is good ; her eye-
sight, for many years defective, has returned. Her
giay locks are being succeeded by a luxuriant growth
of black hair, without the use of any other renovator
than that which kind Nature furnishes. She hopes
that natural teeth will supersede the necessity of
using false ones. May her ardent wish be realized !
Her mental capacities are becoming intensified. A
Chicago lady wrote to her, asking for a thought to
inspire and cheer her on her life journey. Sojourner
responded as follows : —

" God is from everlasting to everlasting." " There
was no beginning till sin came." "All that had a be-
ginning will have an end." " Truth bums up error."
" God is the great house that will hold all his chil-
dien." " We dwell in him as the fishes in the sea."
Of the fashionable so-called religious world she says,
" It is empty as the barren fig-tree, possessing nothing
but leaves."

This is Sojourner Truth at a century old.

Would you like to meet her?

THE AUTHOR.

NAEKATIVE

OF

SOJOURNEE TRUTH

HER BIRTH AND PARENTAGE.

The subject of this biography, Sojourner Truth, aa
she now calls herself — but whose name, originally, was
Isabella — was born, as near as she can now calculate, be-
tween the years 1797 and 1800. She was the daughter
of James and Betsey, slaves of one Colonel Ardinburgh,
Hurley, Ulster County, New York.

Colonel Ardinburgh belonged to that class of people
called Low Dutch.

Of her first master, she can give no account, as she
must have been a mere infant when he died ; and she,
with her parents and some ten or twelve other fellow hu-
man chattels, became the legal property of his son,
Charles Ardinburgh. She distinctly remembers hearing
her father and mother say, that their lot was a fortunate
one, as Master Charles was the best of the family, — be-
ing, comparatively speaking, a kind master to his slaves.

James and Betsey having, by their faithfulness, docil-
ity, and respectful behavior, won his particular regard.

y-

c

14 NARRATIVE OF

received from him particular favors — ^among which was
a lot of land, lying back on the slope of a mountain,
where, by improving the pleasant evenings and Sundays,
they managed to raise a little tobacco, corn, or flax;
which they exchanged for extras, in the articles of food or
clothing for themselves and children. She has no remem-
brance that Saturday afternoon was ever added to their
own time, as it is by some masters in the Southern States.

ACCOMMODATIONS.

Among Isabella's earliest recollections was the removal
of her master, Charles Ardinburgh, into his new house,
which he had built for a hotel, soon after the decease of
his father. A cellar, under this hotel, was assigned to his
slaves, as their sleeping apartment, — all the slaves he
possessed, of both sexes, sleeping (as is quite common in
a state of slavery) in the same room. She carries in her
mind, to this day, a vivid picture of this dismal chamber ;
its only lights consisting of a few panes of glass, through
which she thmks the sun never shone, but with thrice re-
flected rays ; and the space between the loose boards of
the floor, and the uneven earth below, was often filled
with mud and water, the uncomfortable splashings of
which were as annoying as its noxious vapors must have
been chUling and fatal to health. She shudders, even
now, as she goes back in memory, and revisits this cellar,
and sees its inmates, of both sexes and all ages, sleeping
on those damp boards, like the horse, with a little straw
and a blanket ; and she wonders not at the rheumatisms,
and fever-sores, and palsies, that distorted the limbs and
racked the bodies of those fellow-slaves in after-life.

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 15

Still, she does not attribute this cruelty — for cruelty it
certainly is, to be so unmindful of the health and comfort
of any being, leaving entirely out of sight his more im-
portant part, his everlasting interests, — so much to any
innate or constitutional crueltv of the master, as to that
gigantic inconsistency, that inherited habit among slave-
holders, of expecting a willing and intelligent obedience
from the slave, because he is a man — at the same time
every thing belonging to the soul-harrowing system does
its best to crush the last vestige of a man within him ;
and when it is crushed, and often before, he is denied the
comforts of life, on the plea that he knows neither the
want nor the use of them, and because he is considered
to be little more or little less than a beast.

HER BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

Isabella's father was very tall and straight, when young,
which gave him the name of ' Bomefree ' — low Dutch for
tree — at least, this is Sojourner's pronunciation of it —
and by this name he usually went. The most familiar
appellation of her mother was ' Mau-mau Bett.' She was
the mother of some ten or twelve children ; though So-
journer is far from knowing the exact number of her
lirothers and sisters ; she being the youngest, save one,
and all older than herself having been sold before her re-
membrance. She was privileged to behold six of them
while she remained a slave.

Of the two that immediately preceded her in age, a
boy of five years, and a girl of three, who were sold
when she was an infant, she heard much ; and she wishes
that all who would fain believe that slave parents have
not natural affection for their offspring could have listen

16 NARRATIVE OF

ed as sA<? did. while Bomefree and Mau-mau Bett, — their
dark cellar lighted by a blazing pine-knot, — would sit for
hours, recalling and recounting every endearing, as well
as harrowing circumstance that taxed memory could
supply, from the histories of those dear departed ones, of
whom they had been robbed, and for whom their hearts
still bled. Among the rest, they would relate how the
little boy, on the last morning he was with them, arose
with the birds, kindled a fire, calling for his Mau-mau to
' come, for all was now ready for her ' — little dreaming
of the dreadful separation which was so near at hand, but
of which his parents had an uncertain, but all the more
cruel foreboding. There was snow on the ground, at the
time of which we are speaking ; and a large old-fashioned
sleigh was seen to drive up to the door of the late Col.
Ardinburgh. This event was noticed with childish pleas-
ure by the unsuspicious boy ; but when he was taken and
put into the sleigh, and saw his little sister actually shut
and locked into the sleigh box, his eyes were at once
opened to their intentions ; and, like a frightened deer
he sprang from the sleigh, and running into the house,
concealed himself under a bed. But this availed him lit-
tle. He was re-conveyed to the sleigh, and separated for
ever from those whom God had constituted his natural
guardians and protectors, and who should have found
liim, ir. return, a stay and a staff to them in their declin-
ing years. But I make no comments on facts like these,
knowing that the heart of every slave parent will make
its own comments, involuntarily and correctly, as soon
as each heart shall make the ease its own. Those who
are not parents will draw their conclusions from the
promptings of humanity and philanthropy: — these, en-
lightened by reason and revelation, are also imerring.

SOJOUENER TRUTH. 17

HER RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION.

Isabella and Peter, her youngest brother, remained,
with their parents, the legal property of Charles Ardin-
burgh till his decease, which took place when Isabella was
near nine years old.

After this event, she was often surprised to find her
mother in tears ; and when, in her simplicity, she mquired,
'Mau-mau, what makes you cry V she would answer, 'Oh
my child, I am thinking of your brothers and sisters that
have been sold away from me.' And she would proceed
to detail many circumstances respecting them. But
Isabella long since concluded that it was the impending
fate of her only remaining children, which her mother but
too well understood, even then, that called up those mem-
ories from the past, and made them crucify her heart
afresh.

In the evening, when her mother's work was done, she
would sit down under the sparkling vault of heaven, and
calling her children to her, would talk to them of the only
Being that could effectually aid or protect them. Her
teachings were delivered in Low Dutch, her only language,
and, translated into English, ran nearly as follows : —

' My children, there is a God, who hears and sees you.'
* A God, mau-mau ! Where does he live V asked the
children. ' He lives in the sky,' she replied ; ' and when
you are beaten, or cruelly treated, or fall into any trouble,
you must ask help of him, and he will always hear and
help you.' She taught them to kneel and say the Lord's
prayer. She entreated them to refrain from lying and
stealing, and to strive to obey their masters.

At times, a groan would escape her, and she would
2*

18 NARRATIVE OF

break cut in the language of the Psalmist — * Oh Lord, how
long V ' Oh Lord, how long?' And in reply to Isabella's
question — ' What ails you, mau-mau'?' her only answer
was, ' Oh, a good deal ails me' — ' Enough ails me.' Then
again, she would point them to the stars, and say, in her
peculiar language, ' Those are the same stars, and that is
the same moon, that look down upon your brothers and
sisters, and which they see as they look up to them, though
they are ever so far away from us, and each other,'

Thus, in her humble way, did she endeavor to show
them their Heavenly Father, as the only being who could
protect them in their perilous condition ; at the same time,
she would strengthen and brighten the chain of famUj
affection, which she trusted extended itself sufficiently to
connect the widely scattered members of her precious
flock. These instructions of the mother were treasured
up and held sacred by Isabella, as our future narrative
will show.

THE AUCTION.

At length, the never-to be-forgotten day of the terrible
auction arrived, when the ' slaves, horses, and other cattle'
of Charles Ardinburgh, deceased, were to be put under
the hammer, and again change masters. Not only Isabella
and Peter, but their mother, was now destined to the
auction block, and would have been struck off with the
rest to the highest bidder, but for the following circum-
stance : A question arose among the heirs, ' Who shall be
burdened with Bomefree, when we have sent away his
faithful Mau-mau Bett V He was becoming weak and in-
firm ; his limbs were painfully rheumatic and distorted —

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 19

more from exposure and hardship than from old age,
though he was several years older than Mau-mau Bett :
he was no longer considered of value, but must soon be a
burden and care to some one. After some contention on
the point at issue, none being willing to be burdened with
him, it was finally agreed, as most expedient for the heirs,
that the price of Mau-mau Bett should be sacrificed, and
she receive her freedom, on condition that she take care
of and support her faithful James, — faithful, not only
to her as a husband, but proverbially faithful as a slave
to those who would not willingly sacrifice a dollar for
his comfort, now that he had commenced his descent into
the dark vale of decrepitude and suffering. This import-
ant decision was received as joyful news indeed to our an-
cient couple, who were the objects of it, and who were try-
ing to prepare their hearts for a severe struggle, and one
altogether new to them, as they had never before been
separated ; for, though ignorant, helpless, crushed in spirit,
and weighed down with hardship and cruel bereavement,
they were still human, and their human hearts beat within
them with as true an affection as ever caused a human
heart to beat. And their anticipated separation now, in
the decline of life, after the last child had been torn from
them, must have been truly appalling. Another privilege
was granted them — that of remaining occupants of the
same dark, humid cellar I have before described : other-
wise, they were to support themselves as they best could.
And as her mother was still able to do considerable work,
and her father a little, they got on for some time very
comfortably. The strangers who rented the house were
humane people, and very kind to them ; they were not
rich, and owned no slaves. How long this state of things
continued, we are unable to say, as Isabella had not then

20 NARRATIVE OF

sufficiently cultivated her organ of time to calculate years,
or even weeks or hours. But she thinks her mother must
have lived several years after the death of Master Charles,
She remembers going to visit her parents some three or
four times before the death of her mother, and a good
deal of time seemed to her to intervene between each
visit.

At length her mother's health began to decline — a
fever-sore made its ravages on one of her limbs, and the
palsy began to shake her frame; still, she and James
tottered about, picking up a little here and there, which,
added to the mites contributed by their kind neighbors,
sufficed to sustain life, and drive famine from the door.

DEATH OF MAU-MAU RETT.

One morning, in early autumn, (from the reason above
mentioned, we cannot tell what year,) Mau-mau Bett told
James she would make him a loaf of rye-bread, and get
Mrs. Simmons, their kind neighbor, to bake it for them,
as she would bake that forenoon. James told her he had
engaged to rake after the cart for his neighbors that morn-
ing ; but before he commenced, he would pole oif some
apples from a tree near, which they were allowed to
gather ; and if she could get some of them baked with
the bread, it would give it a nice relish for their dinner.
He beat off the apples, and soon after, saw Mau-mau
Bett come out and gather them up.

At the blowing of the horn for dinner, he groped his

way into his cellar, anticipating his humble, but warm

and nourishing meal ; when, lo ! mstead of being cheered

y the sight and odor of fresh-baked bread and the savory

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 21

apples, his cellar seemed more cheerless than usual, and
at first neither sight nor sound met eye or ear. But, on
groping his way through the room, his staff, which he
used as a pioneer to go before, and warn him of danger,
seemed to be impeded in its progress, and a low, gurgling,
choking sound proceeded from the object before him,
irivinjr him the first intimation of the truth as it was, that
Mau-mau Bett, his bosom companion, the only remaining
member of his large family, had fallen in a fit of the
palsy, and lay helpless and senseless on the earth ! Who
among us, located in pleasant homes, surrounded with
every comfort, and so many kind and sympathizing
friends, can picture to ourselves the dark and desolate
state of poor old James — penniless, weak, lame, and near-
ly blind, as he was at the moment he found his compa-
nion was removed from him, and he was left alone in the
world, with no one to aid, comfort, or console him % for
she never revived again, and lived only a few hours after
being discovered senseless by her poor bereaved James.

LAST DAYS OF BOMEFREE.

Isabella and Peter were permitted to see the remains
of their mother laid in their last narrow dwelling, and to
make their bereaved father a little visit, ere they returned
to their servitude. And most piteous were the lamenta-
tions of the poor old man, when, at last, they also were
obliged to bid him " Farewell !" Juan Fernandes, on his
desolate island, was not so pitiable an object as this poor
lame man. Blind and crippled, he was too superannuated
to think for a moment of taking care of himself, and he
greatly feared no persons would interest themselves in

22 NARRATIVE OF

his behalf. ' Oh,' he would exclaim, ' I had thought God
would take me first, — Mau-mau was so much smarter
than I, and could get about and take care of herself; —
and I am so old, and so helpless. What is to become of
me ? I can't do any thing more — my children are all
gone, and here I am left helpless and alone.' ' And then,
as I was taking leave of him,' said his daughter, in relat-
ing it, ' he raised his voice, and cried aloud like a child —
Oh, how he did cry ! I hear it now — and remember it as
well as if it were but yesterday — poor old man ! ! ! He
thought God had done it all — and my heart bled within
me at the sight of his misery. He begged me to get per-
mission to come and see him sometimes, which I readily
and heartily promised him.' But when all had left him,
the Ardinburghs, having some feelmg left for their faith-
ful and favorite slave, ' took turns about' in keeping him
— permitting him to stay a few weeks at one house, and
then a while at another, and so around. If, when he made
a removal, the place where he was gomg was not too far
off, he took up his line of march, staff in hand, and asked
for no assistance. If it was twelve or twenty miles, they
gave him a ride. While he was living in this way, Isar
bella was twice permitted to visit him. Another time
she walked twelve miles, and carried her infant in her
arms to see him, but when she reached the place where
she hoped to find him, he had just left for a place some
twenty miles distant, and she never saw him more. The
last time she did see him, she found him seated on a rock,
by the-road side, alone, and far from any house. He
was then migrating from the house of one Ardinburgh
to that of .another, several miles distant. His hair was
white like wool — he was almost blind — and his gait was
more a creep than a walk — but the weather was warm

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 23

and pleasant, and he did not dislike the journey. When
Isabella addressed him, he recognized her voice, and was
exceeding glad to see her. He was assisted to mount
the wagon, was carried back to the famous cellar of
which we have spoken, and there they held then: last
earthly conversation. He again, as usual, bewailed his
loneliness, — spoke in tones of anguish of his many chil-
dren, saying, " They are all taken away from me ! I have
now not one to give me a cup of cold water — why should
I live and not die f Isabella, whose heart yearned over
her father, and who would have made any sacrifice to
have been able to be with, and take care of him, tried to
comfort, by telling him that ' she had heard the white
folks say, that all the slaves in the State would be freed
m ten years, and that then she would come and take care
of hun.' ' I would take just as good care of you as Mau-
mau would, if she was here' — continued Isabel. ' Oh, my
cliild,' replied he, ' I cannot live that long.' ' Oh do, dad-
dy, do live, and I will take such good care of you,' was her
rejoinder. She now says, 'Why, I thought then, in my
ignorance, that he could live, if he would. I just as much
thought so, as I ever thought any thing m my life — and I
insisted on his living : but he shook his head, and insisted
he could not.'

But before Bomefree's good constitution would yield
either to age, exposure, or a strong desire to die, the Ar-
dinburghs agam tired of him, and offered freedom to two
old slaves — Csesar, brother of Mau-mau Bett, and his
wife Betsey — on condition that they should take care of
James. (I was about to say, ' their brother-in-law' — ^but as
slaves are neither husbands nor wives in law, the idea of
their being brothers-in-law is truly ludicrous.) And al-
though they were too old and infirm to take care of them-

24 NARRATIVE OF

selves, (Caesar having been afflicted for a long time -with
fever-sores, and his wife with the jaundice,) they eagerly
accepted the boon of fi-eedom, which had been the life-long
desire of their souls — though at a time when emancipa-
tion was to them little more than destitution, and was a
ft-eedom more to be desired by the master than the slave.
Sojourner declares of the slaves in their ignorance, that
' their thoughts are no longer than her finger.'

DEATH OF BOMEFREE.

A rude cabin, in a lone wood, far from any neighbors,
was granted to our freed friends, as the only assistance
they were now to expect. Bomefree, from this time,
found his poor needs hardly supplied, as his new providers
were scarce able to administer to their own wants. How-
ever, the time drew near when things were to be decidedly
worse rather than better ; for they had not been together
long, before Betty died, and shortly after, Caesar followed
her to ' that bourne from whence no traveller returns' —
leaving poor James again desolate, and more helpless
than ever before ; as, this time, there was no kind family
in the house, and the Ardinburghs no longer invited him
to their homes. Yet, lone, blind and helpless as he was,
.lames for a time lived on. One day, an aged colored
woman, named Soan, called at his shanty, and James be-
sought her, in the most moving manner, even with tears,
to tarry awhile and wash and mend hirn up, so that he
might once more be decent and comfortable ; for he was
suffering dreadfully with the filth and vermin that had
collected upon him.

Soan was herself an emancipated slave, old and weak,

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 26

with no one to care for her ; and she lacked the courage
to undertake a job of such seeming magnitude, fearing she
might herself get sick, and perish there without assistance ;
and with great reluctance, and a heart swelling with pity,
as she afterwards declared, she felt obliged to leave him in
his wretchedness and filth. And shortly after her visit, this
faithful slave, this deserted wreck of humanity, was found
on his miserable pallet, fi'ozen and stiff in death. The kind
angel had come at last, and relieved him of the many mise-
ries that his fellow-man had heaped upon him. Yes, he
had died, chilled and starved, with none to speak a kindly
word, or do a kindly deed for him, in that last dread hour
of need !

The news of his death reached the ears of John Ardm-
burgh, a grandson of the old Colonel ; and he declared
that ' Bomefree, who had ever been a kind and faithful
slave, should now have a good funeral.' And now, gentle
reader, what thuik you constituted a good funeral ? An-
swer— some black paint for the coffin, and — a jug of ar-
dent spirits ! What a compensation for a life of toil, of
patient submission to repeated robberies of the most ag-
gravated kind, and, also, far more than murderous neg-
lect ! ! Mankind often vainly attempt to atone for im-
kindness or cruelty to the living, by honoring the same
after death ; but John Ardinburgh undoubtedly meant
his pot of paint and jug of whisky should act as an opiate
on his slaves, rather than on his own seared conscience.

COMMENCEMENT OF ISABELLA'S TRIALS IN LIFE.

Having seen the sad end of her parents, so far as it
relates to thh earthly life, we will return vrith Isabella to

26 NARKATIVE OF

that memorable auction which thi'eatened to separate her
father and mother. A slave auction is a terrible affair to
its victims, and its incidents and consequences are graven
on their hearts as with a pen of burning steel.

At this memorable time, Isabella was struclc off, for the
sum of one hundred dollars, to one John Nealy, of Ulster
County, New York ; and she has an impression that in
this sale she was connected with a lot of sheep. She was
now nine years of age, and her trials in life may be dated
from this pei'iod. She says, with emphasis, ' Now the war
beffunj She could only talk Dutch — and the Nealys
could only talk English. Mr. Nealy could understand
Dutch, but Isabel and her mistress could neither of them
understand the language of the other — and this, of itself,
was a formidable obstacle in the way of a good under-
standing between them, and for some time was a fruitful
source of dissatisfaction to the mistress, and of punish-
ment and suffering to Isabella. She says, ' If they sent
me for a frying-pan, not knowing what they meant, per-
haps I carried them the pot-hooks and trammels. Then,
oh ! how angry mistress would be with me !' Then she
suffered ' terribly — terribly,'' with the cold. Durmg the
winter her feet were badly frozen, for want of proper
covering. They gave her a plenty to eat, and also a plenty
of whippings. One Sunday morning, in particular, she
was told to go to the barn ; on going there, she found
her master with a bundle of rods, prepared in the em-
bers, and bound together with cords. When he had
tied her hands together before her, he gave her the most
cruel whipping she was ever tortured with. He whipped
her till the flesh was deeply lacerated, and the blood stream-
ed from her wounds — and the scars remain to the present
day, to testify to the fact. ' And now,' she says, ' when I

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 27

hear 'em tell of whipping women on the bare flesh, it
makes my flesh crawl, and my very hair rise on my head !
Oh ! my God !' she continues, ' what a way is this of treat-
ing human beings T In these hours of her extremity,
she did not forget the instructions of her mother, to go to
God in all her trials, and every affliction ; and she not only
remembered, but obeyed ; going to him, ' and telling him
all — and asking Him if He thought it was right,' and
begging him to protect and shield her from her persecu-
tors.

She always asked with an unwaveruig faith that she
should receive just what she plead for, — ' And now,' she
say--, ' though it seems curious, I do not remember ever
askmg for any thing but what I got it. And I always re-
ceived it as an answer to my prayers. When I got beaten,
1 never knew it long enough beforehand to pray ; and I
always thought if I only had had time to pray to God for
help, I should have escaped the beating.' She had no idea
God had any knowledge of her thoughts, save what she
told him ; or heard her prayers, unless they were spoken
audibly. And consequently, she could not pray unless
she had time and opportunity to go by herself, where she
could talk to God without being overheard.

TRIALS CONTINUED.

When she had been at Mr. Nealy's several months,
she began to beg God most earnestly to send her father
to her, and as soon as she commenced to pray, she began
as confidently to look for his coming, and, ere it was long,
to her great joy, he came. She had no opportunity to
speak to him of the troubles that weighed so heavily on

28 NARRATIVE OF

her spirit, while h t remained ; Ijut when he left, she fol
lowed him to the gate, and unburdened her heart to him,
inquiring if he could not do something to get her a new
and better place. In this way the slaves often assist each
other, by ascertaining who are kind to their slaves, com-
paratively ; and then using their influence to get such an
one to hii'e or buy their friends ; and masters, often from
policy, as well as from latent humanity, allow those they
are about to sell or let, to choose their own places, if the
persons they happen to select for masters are considered
safe "pay. He promised to do all he could, and they part-
ed. But, every day, as long as the snow lasted, (for
there was snow on the ground at the time,) she returned
to the spot where they separated, and walking in the
tracks her fether had made in the snow, repeated her
prayer that ' God would help her father get her a new
and better place.'

A long time had not elapsed, when a fisherman by the
name of Scriver appeared at Mr. Nealy's, and inquired
of Isabel ' if she would like to go and live with him.'
She eagerly answered ' Yes,' nothing doubting but he was
sent in answer to her prayer ; and she soon started off
with him, walking while he rode ; for he had bought her
at the suggestion of her father, paying one hundred and
five dollars for her. He also lived in Ulster County, but
some five or six miles from Mr. Nealy's.

Scriver, besides being a fisherman, kept a tavern for the
accommodation of people of his own class — for his was a
rude, uneducated family, exceedingly profane in their
laoguage, but, on the whole, an honest, kind and well-dis-
posed people.

They owned a large farni. but left it wholly imim-
proved ; attending mainly to their vocations of fishing

bOJOURNER TRUTH. 29

and inn-keeping. Isabella declares she can ill describe
the life she led with them. It was a wild, out-of-door
idnd of lief She was expected to carry fish, to hoe corn,
to bring roots and herbs from the wood for beers, go to
the Strand for a gallon of molasses or liquor as the case
might requu-e, and ' browse around,' as she expresses it.
It was a life that suited her well for the time — bemg as
devoid of hardship or terror as it was of improvement ;
a need which had not yet become a want. Instead of im.
proving at this place, morally, she retrograded, as theii
example taught her to curse ; and it was here that she
took her first oath. After living with them about a year
and a half, she was sold to one John J. Dumont, for the
sum of seventy pounds. Tliis was in 1810. Mr. Du-
mont lived in the same county as her former masters, in
the town of New Paltz, and she remained with him till a
short time previous to her emancipation by the State, in
1828.

HER STANDING WITH HER NEW MASTER AND

MISTRESS.

Had Mrs. Dumont possessed that vein of kindness and
consideration for the slaves, so perceptible in her hus-
band's character, Isabella would have been as comforta-
ble here, as one had best be, if one must be a slave. Mr.
Dumont had been nursed in the very lap of slavery, and
being naturally a man of kind feelings, treated his slaves
with all the consideration he did his other animals, and
more, perhaps. But Mrs. Dumont, who had been born
and educated in a non-slaveholding family, and, like many
others, used only to work-people, who, under the most

30 NARRATIVE OF

st jnulating of human motives, were willing to put forth*
their every energy, could not have patience with thft
creeping gait, the dull understanding, or see any cause
for the listless manners and careless, slovenly habits of
the poor down-trodden outcast — entirely forgetting that
every high and efficient motive had been removed far
from him ; and that, had not his very intellect been
crushed out of him, the slave would find little ground for
aught but hopeless despondency. From this source arose
a long series of trials m the life of our heroine, which we
must pass over in silence ; some from motives of deli-
cacy, and others, because the relation of them might
inflict undeserved pain on some now living, whom Isabel
remembers only with esteem and love; therefore, the
reader will not be surprised if our narrative appear some-
what tame at this point, and may rest assured that it is
not for want of facts, as the most thrilling mcidents of
this portion of her life are from various motives sup-.

pressed.

One comparatively trifling incident she wishes related,
as it made a deep impression on her mind at the time —
showing, as she thinks, how God shields the innocent, and
causes them to triumph over their enemies, and also how
she stood between master and mistress. In her family,
Mrs. Dumont employed two white girls, one of whom,
named Kate, evinced a disposition to ' lord it over' Isabel,
and, in her emphatic language, ' to grind her down.'' Her
master often shielded her from the attacks and accusations
of others, praising her for her readiness and ability to
work, and these praises seemed to foster a spirit of hos-
tility to her, in the minds of Mrs, Dumont and her white
servant, the latter of whom took every opportunity to
cry up her faults, lessen her in the esteem of her master

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 31

and increase against her the displeasure of her mistress,
which was already more than sufficient for Isabel's com-
fort. Her master insisted that she could do as much
work as half a dozen common people, and do it well, too ;
whilst her mistress insisted that the first \ras true, only
because it ever came from her hand but half performed.
A good deal of feeling arose from this difference of opin-
ion, which was getting to rather an uncomfortable height,
when, all at once, the potatoes that Isabel cooked for
breakfast assumed a dingy, dirty look. Her mistress
blamed her severely, asking her master to observe ' a fine
specimen of Bell's work !' — adding, ' it is the way all hei
work is done.' Her master scolded also this time, and
commanded her to be more careful in future. Kate join-
ed with zest in the censures, and was very hard upon her.
Isabella thought that she had done all she well could tc
have them nice ; and became quite distressed at these ap
pearances, and wondered what she should do to avoid
them. In this dilemma, Gertrude Dumont, (Mr. T>.\
eldest child, a good, kind-hearted gu'l of ten years, who
pitied Isabel sincerely,) when she heard them all blame
her so vmsparingly, came forward, offering her sympathy
and assistance ; and when about to retire to bed, on the
night of Isabella's humiliation, she advanced to Isabel, and
told her, if she would wake her early next morning, she
would get up and attend to her potatoes for her, while
she (Isabella) went to milking, and they would see if they
could not have them nice, and not have ' Poppee,' hei
word for father, and ' Matty,' her word for mother, and
all of 'em, scolding so terribly.

Isabella gladly availed herself of this kindness, which
touched her to the heart, amid so much of an opposit,
spirit. When Isabella had put the potatoes over to boil

32 NARRATIVE OF

Getty told her she would herself tend the fire, while Is»
bel milked. She had not long been seated by the fire,
in performance of her promise, when Kate entered, and
requested Gertrude to go out of the room and do some-
thing for her, Trnich she refused, still keeping her place in
the corner. While there, Kate came sweeping about the
fire, caught up a chip, lifted some ashes with it, and dash
ed them into the kettle. Now the mystery was solved,
the plot discovered ! Kate was working a little too fast
at making her mistress's words good, at showing that
Mrs. Dumont and herself were on the right side of the
dispute, and consequently at gaining power over Isabella.
Yes, she was quite too fast, inasmuch as she had over-
looked the little figure of justice, which sat in the corner,
with scales nicely balanced, waiting to give all their dues.

But the time had come when she was to be overlooked
no longer. It was Getty's turn to speak now. ' Oh,
Poppee ! oh, Poppee !' said she, ' Kate has been putting
ashes in among the potatoes ! I saw her do it ! Look at
those that fell on the outside of the kettle ! You can
now see what made the potatoes so dingy every morning,
though Bell -washed them clean !' And she repeated her story
to every new comer, till the fraud was made as public as
the censure of Isabella had been. Her mistress looked
blank, and remained dumb — her master muttered some-
thing which sounded very like an oath — and poor Kate
was so chop-fallen, she looked like a convicted criminal,
who would gladly have hid herself, (now that the base-
ness was out,) to conceal her mortified pride and deep
chagrin.

It was a fine triumph for Isabella and her master, and
she became more ambitious than ever to please him ;
%nd he stimulated her ambition by his commendation, and

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 33

by boasting of her to his fi-iends, telling them that Hhat
wench ' (pointing to Isabel) ' is better to me than a man
— for she will do a good family's washing in the night,
and be ready in the morning to go into the field, where
she will do as much at raking and binding as my best
hands.' Her ambition and desire to please were sc great,
that she often worked several nights in succession, sleep-
ing only short snatches, as she sat in her chair ; and some
nights she would not allow herself to take any sleep, save
what she could get resting herself against the wall, fear-
ing that if she sat down, she would sleep too long.
These extra exertions to please, and the praises conse-
quent upon them, brought upon her head the envy
of her fellow-slaves, and they taunted her with being
the ' white folks' nigijer.'' On the other hand, she receiv-
ed a larger share of the confidence of her master,
and many small favors that were by them vmattain-
able. I asked her if her master, Dumont, ever whipped
her ? She answered, ' Oh yes, he sometimes whipped me
soundly, though never cioielly. And the most severe
whipping he ever give me was because / was cruel to a
cat.' At this time she looked upon her master as a God ;
and believed that he knew of and could see her at all
times, even as God himself. And she used sometimes to
confess her delinquencies, from the conviction that he al-
ready knew them, and that she should fare better if she
confessed voluntarily : and if any one talked to her of
the 'injustice of her being a slave, she answered them
w ith contempt and immediately told her master. She
then firmly believed that slavery was right and honora-
ble. Yet she now sees very clearly the false position
they were all in, both masters and slaves ; and she looks
back, with utter astoi ishment, at the absurdity of the
3

34 NARRATIVE OF

daims so arrogantly set up by the masters, over beings
designed by God to be as free as kings ; and at the per-
feci stupidity of the slave, in admitting for onp. moment
the validity of these claims.

In obedience to her mother's instructions, she had edu-
cated herself to "^uch a sense of honesty, that, when she
had become a mother, she would sometimes whip her
cMld when it cried to her for bread, rather than give it a
piece secretly, lest it should learn to take what was not
its own ! And the writer of this knows, from personal
observation, that the slaveholders of the South feel it to
be a religious duty to teach their slaves to be honest, and
never to take what is not their own ! Oh consistency,
art thou not a jewel % Yet Isabella glories in the fact
that she was faithful and true to her master ; she says,
' It made me true to my God' — meaning, that it helped to
form in her a character that loved truth, and hated a lie,
and had saved her from the bitter pains and fears that
are sure to follow in the wake of insincerity and hypocrisy.

As she advanced in years, an attachment sprung up
between herself and a slave named Robert. But his
master, an Englishman by the name of Catlin, anxious
that no one's property but his own should be enhanced
by the increase of his slaves, forbade Robert's visits to
Isabella, and commanded him to take a wife among his
fellow-servants. Notwithstanding this interdiction, Rob-
ert, following the bent of his inclinations, continued his
visits to Isabel, though very stealthily, and, as he believ-
ed, without exciting the suspicion of his master ; but one
Saturday aftcrnocm, hearing that Bell was ill, he took the
liberty to go and see her. The first intimation she had
of his visit was the appearance of her master, inquiring
' if she had seen Bob.' On her answering in the negative,

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 35

he said to her, ' If you see him, tell him to take care of
himself, for the Catliiis are after him,' Almost at that
instant, Bob made his appearance ; and the first people he
met were his old and his young masters. They -were
terribly enraged at finding him there, and the eldest be-
gan cursing, and calling upon his son to ' Knock dowr,

the d d black rascal ;' at the same time, they both

fell upon him like tigers, beating him with the heavy
ends of their canes, bruising and mangling his head and
face in the most awful manner, and causing the blood,
which streamed from his wounds, to cover him like a
slaughtered beast, constituting him a most shocking spec-
tacle. Mr. Dumont interposed at this point, telling the
rufiians they could no longer thus spill human blood on
his premises — he would have ' no niggers killed there.'
The Catlins then took a rope they had taken with them
for the purpose, and tied Bob's hands behind him in such
a manner, that Mr. Dumont insisted on loosening the
cord, declaring that no brute should be tied in tlvat man-
ner, where he was. And as they led him away, like the
greatest of criminals, the more humane Dumont followed
them to their homes, as Robert's protector ; and when
he returned, he kindly went to Bell, as he called her, tell-
mg her he did not think they would strike him any more, as
their wrath had greatly cooled before he left them. Isa-
bella had witnessed this scene from her window, and was
greatly shocked at the murderous treatment of poor
Robert, whom she truly loved, and whose only crime, in
the eye of his persecutors, was his affection for her. This
beating, and we know not what after treatment, com-
pletely subdued the spirit of its victim, for Robert ven-
tured no more to visit Isabella, but like an obedient and
faithful chattel, took himself a wife from the house of

Q

6 NARRATIVE OF

his master. Robert did not live many years after his
last visit to Isabel, but took his departure to that coun-
try, where ' they neither marry nor are given in marriage,'
and where the oppressor cannot molest.

ISABELLA'S MARRIAGE.

Subsequently, Isabella was married to a fellow-slave,
named Thomas, who had previously had two wives, one
of whom, if not both, had been torn from him and sold
far away. And it is more than probable, that he was
not only allowed but encouraged to take another at each
successive sale. I say it is probable, because the writer
of this knows from personal observation, that such is
the custom among slaveholders at the present day ; and
that in a tw^enty months' residence among them, we never
knew any one to open the lip against the practice ; and
when we severely censured it, the slaveholder had nothing
to say ; and the slave pleaded that, under existing cir-
cumstances, he could do no better.

Such an abominable state of things is silently tolerated,
to say the least, by slaveholders — deny it who may.
And what is that religion that sanctions, even by its
silence, all that is embraced in the ' Peculiar Institution V
If there can be any thing more diametrically opposed to
the religion of Jesus, than the working of this soul-kill-
ing system — which is as truly sanctioned by the religion
of America as are her ministers and churches — we wdsh
to be shown where it can be found.

We have said, Isabella was married to Tliomas — she
was, after the fashion of slavery, one of the slaves per-
forming the ceremony for them ; as no true minister of

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 37

Christ can perform, as in the presence of God, what he
knows to be a mere farce, a mock marriage, unrecognized
by any civil hiw, and liable to be annulled any moment,
when the interest or caprice of the master should dictate.

With what feelings must slaveholders expect us to
listen to their horror of amalgamation in prospect, while
they are well aware that we know how calmly and qui-
etly they contemplate the present state of licentiousness
their own wicked laws have created, not only as it regards
the slave, but as it regards the more privileged portion
of the population of the South ?

Slaveholders appear to me to take the same notice of
the vices of the slave, as one does of the vicious disposi-
tion of his horse. They are often an inconvenience ; fur-
ther than that, they care not to trouble themselves about
the matter.

ISABELLA AS A MOTHER.

In process of time, Isabella found herself the mother of
five children, and she rejoiced in being permitted to be
the instrument of increasing the property of her oppres-
sors ! Think, dear reader, without a blush, if you can,
for one moment, of a mother thus willingly, and with pride,
laying her own children, the ' flesh of her flesh,' on the
altar of slavery — a sacrifice to the bloody Moloch ! But
we nuist remember that beings capable of such sacrifices
are not mothers ; they are only ' things,' ' chattels,' ' pro-
perty.'

But since that time, the subject of this narrative has
made some advances from a state of chattelism towards
that of a woman and a mother ; and she now looks back
upon her thoughts and feelings there, in her state of igno-

38 NARRATIVE OF

ranee and degradation, as one does on the dark imagery
of a fitful dream. One moment it seems but a frightfiil
illusion ; again it appears a teiTible reality. I would to
God it were but a dreamy myth, and not, as it now stands,
a horrid reality to some three millions of chattelized hu-
man beings.

I have already alluded to her care not to teach her chil-
dren to steal, by her example ; and she says, with groan-
ings that cannot be written, ' The Lord only knows how
many times I let my children go hungry, rather than take
secretly the bread I liked not to ask for.' All parents
who annul their preceptive teachings by their daily prac-
tices would do well to profit by her example.

Another proof of her master's kindness of heart is found
in the following fact. If her master came into the house
and found her infant crying, (as she could not always at-
tend to its wants and the commands of her mistress at
the same time,) he would turn to his wife with a look of
reproof, and ask her why she did not see the child taken
care of; saying, most earnestly, ' I will not hear this cry-
ing ; I can 't bear it, and I will not hear any child cry so.
Here, Bell, take care of this child, if no more work is
done for a week.' And he would linger to see if his or-
ders were obeyed, and not countermanded.

When Isabella went to the field to work, she used to
put her infant in a basket, tying a rope to each handle,
and suspending the basket to a branch of a tree, set ano-
ther small child to swing it. It was thus secure from rep-
tiles, and was easily administered to, and even lulled to
sleep, by a child too young for other labors. I was quite
struck with the ingenuity of such a baby-tender, as I have
sometimes been with the swinging hammock the native
mother prepares for her sick infant — apparently so much

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 39

easier than aught we have in our more civilized homes;
easier for the child, because it gets the motion without
the least jar ; and easier for the nurse, because the ham-
mock is strung so high as to supersede the necessity of
stooping.

slaveholder's promises.

After emancipation had been decreed by the State,
some years before the time fixed for its consummation,
Isabella's master told her if she would do well, and be
faithful, he would give her ' free papers,' one year before
she was legally free by statute. In the year 1826, she
had a b adiy diseased hand, which greatly diminished her
usefiilness ; but on the arrival of July 4, 1827, the time
specified for her receiving her 'free papers,' she claimed the
fulfilment of her master's promise ; but he refused grant-
ing it, on account (as he alleged) of the loss he had sus-
tained by her hand. She plead that she had worked all
the time, and done many things she was not wholly able
to do, although she kn'^w she had been less useful than
formerly; but her master remained inflexible. Her very
faithfiilness probably operated against her now, and he
found it less easy than he thought to give up the profits
of his faithful Bell, who had so long done him efficient
service.

But Isabella inwardly determined tha<- she would re.
main quietly with him only until she had spun his wool
— about one hundred pounds — and then she would leave
him, taking the rest of the time to herself. ' Ah!' sh"!
says, with emphasis that cannot be written, ' the slave-
holders are terrible for promising to give you this or

40 XARRATIVE OF

that, or such and such a privilege, if you will do thus and
so ; and when the time of fulfilment comes, and one
claims the promise, they, forsooth, recollect nothing of
the kind ; and you are, like as not, taunted with being a
LIAR ; or, at best, the slave is accused of not having per-
formed his part or condition of the contract.' ' Oh !' said
she, ' I have felt as if I could not live through the opera-
tion sometimes. Just think of us ! so eager for our plea-
sures, and just foolish enough to keep feeding and feeding
ourselves up with the idea that we should get what had
been thus fairly promised ; and when we think it is
almost in our hands, find ourselves flatly denied ! Just
think ! how could we bear it ? Why, there was Charles
Brodhead promised his slave Ned, that when harvesting
was over, he might go and see his wife, who lived some
twenty or thirty miles off. So Ned worked early and
late, and as soon as the harvest was all in, he claimed the
promised boon. His master said, he had merely told
him he ' would see if he could go, when the harvest was
over; but now he saw that he could not go.'' But Ned,
who still claimed a positive promise, on which he had
fully depended, went on cleaning his shoes. His master
asked him if he intended going, and on his replying 'yes ,'
took up a sled-stick that lay near him, and gave him such
a blow on the head as broke his skull, killing him dead
on the spot. The poor colored people all felt struck
down by the blow.' Ah ! and well they might. Yet it
was but one of a long series of bloody, and other most
effectual blows, struck against their liberty and their
lives.* But to return from our digression.

The subject of this narrative was to have been free

• Yet no official notice was taken of his more than brutal mai-
der.

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 4-1

July 4, 1827, but she continued with her master till the
wool was spun, and the heaviest of the 'fall's work'
closed up, when she concluded to take her freedom into
her own hands, and seek her fortune in some other place.

HER ESCAPE.

The question m her mind, and one not easily solved,
now was, ' How can 1 get away V So, as was her usual
custom, she ' told God she was afraid to go in the night
and in the day every body would see her.' At length,
the thought came to her that she could leave just before
the day dawned, and get out of the neighborhood where
she was known before the people were much astir.
' Yes,' said she, fervently, ' that's a good thought ! Thank
you, God, for that thought !' So, receiving it as coming
direct from God, she acted upon it, and one fine morning,
a little before day-break, she might have been seen step-
ping stealthily away from the rear of Master Dumont's
house, her infant on one arm and her wardrobe on the
other ; the bulk and weight of which, probably, she never
found so convenient as on the present occasion, a cotton
handkerchief containing both her clothes and her pro-
visions.

As she gained the summit of a high hill, a considerable
distance from her master's, the sun offended her by com-
ing forth in all his pristine splendor. She thought it
never was so light before ; indeed, she thought it much
too light. She stopped to look about her, and ascertain
if her pursuers were yet in sight. No one appeared, and,
for the first time, the question came up for settlement,
' Where, and to whom, shall I go V In all her thoughts
of getting away, she had not once asked herself whither

42 NARRATIVE OF

she should direct her steps. She sat down, fed her infant,
and again turning her thoughts to God, her only help, she
prayed him to direct her to some safe asylum. And soon
it occurred to her, that tht-re was a man living some-
where in the direction she had been pursuing, by the
name of Levi Rowe, whom she had known, and who, she
thought, would be likely to befriend her. She accord-
ingly pursued her way to his house, where she found him
ready to entertain and assist her, though he was then on
his death-bed. He bade her partake of the hospitalities
of his house, said he knew of two good places where she
might get in, and requested his wife to show her where
they were to be found. As soon as she came in sight of
the first house, she recollected having seen it and its inhab-
itants before, and instantly exclaimed, 'That's the place
for me ; I shall stop there.' She went there, and found
the good people of the house, Mr. and Mrs. Van Wage-
ner, absent, but was kindly received and hospitably en-
tertained by their excellent mother, till the return of her
children. When they arrived, she made her case known
to them. They listened to her story, assuring her they
never turned the needy away, and willingly gave her
employment.

She had not been there long before her old master, Du-
mont, appeared, as she had anticipated ; for when she
took French leave of him, she resolved not to go too far
from him, and not put him to as much trouble in looking
her up — for the latter he was sure to do — as Torn and
Jack had done when they ran away from him, a short
time before. This was very considerate in her, to say
the least, and a proof that ' like begets like.' He had
oflen considered her feelings, though not always, and she
was equally considerate.

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 43

When her master saw her, he said, ' Well, Bell, so
you've run away from me.' ' No, I did not run emaj ; I
walked away by day-light, and all because you had pro-
mised me a year of my time.' His reply was, 'You
must go back with me.' Her decisive answer was, ' No,
I wo7iH go back with you.' He said, ' Well, I shall take
the child.^ This also was as stoutly negatived.

Mr. Isaac S. Van Wagener then interposed, saying, he
had never been in the practice of buying and selling slaves ;
he did not believe in slavery ; but, rather than have Isar
bella taken back by force, he would buy her services for
the balance of the year — for which her master charged
twenty dollars, and five in addition for the child. The
sum was paid, and her master Dumont departed ; but not
till he had heard Mr. Van Wagener tell her not to call
him master, — adding, ' there is but one master ; and he
who is your master is my master.' Isabella inquired what
she should call him ? He answered, ' Call me Isaac Van
Wagener, and my wife is Maria Van Wagener.' Isa-
bella could not understand this, and thought it a
mighty change, as it most truly was from a master
whose word was law, to simple Isaac S. Van Wage-
ner, who was master to no one. With these noble
people, who, though they could not be the masters of
slaves, were undoubtedly a portion of God's nobility, she
resided one year, and from them she derived the name of
Van Wagener ; he being her last master in the eye of
the law, and a slave's surname is ever the same as his
master ; that is, if he is allowed to have any other name
than Tom, Jack, or Guffin. Slaves have sometimes been
severely punished for adding their master's name to their
own. But when they have no particular title to it, it is
no particular offence.

4-1 NARRATIVE OF

ILLEGAL SALE OF HER SON.

A little previous to Isabel's leaving her old master, he
had sold her child, a hoy of five years, to a Dr. Ged-
ney, who took him with him as far as New York city, on
his way to England ; but finding the boy too small for
nis service, he sent him back to his brother, Solomon
Gedney. This man disposed of him to liis sister's hus-
oand, a wealthy planter, by the name of Fowler, who
took him to his own home in Alabama.

This illegal and fraudulent transaction had been perpe-
trated some months before Isabella knew of it, as she was
now living at Mr. Van Wagener's. Tlie law expressly
prohibited the sale of any slave out of the State, — and
all minors were to be free at twenty-one years of age ;
and Mr. Dumont had sold Peter with the express under-
standing, that he was soon to return to the State of New
York, and be emancipated at the specified time.

When Isabel heard that her son had been sold South,
she immediately started on foot and alone, to find the
man who had thus dared, in the face of all law, human
and divine, to sell her child out of the State ; and if pos-
sible, to bring him to account for the deed.

Arriving at New Paltz, she went directly to her former
mistress, Dumont, complaining bitterly of the removal
ijf her son. Her mistress heard her through, and then re-
plied— '■Ugh! -A fine fuss to make about a little nigger!
Why, have n't you as many of 'em left as you can see to
and take care of? A pity 'tis, the niggers are not all in
Guinea ! ! Makuig such a halloo-balloo about the neigh-
borhood ; and all for a paltry nigger ! ! ! ' Isabella heard
her through, and afler a moment's hesitation, answered, in

SOJOURNER TRUTH, 15

tones of deep determination — ' Fll have my child again?
' Have your child again ! ' repeated her mistress — her tonet
big with contempt, and seorinng the absurd idea of her
getting him. ' How can you get him ? And what have
you to support him with, if you could ? Have you any
money ? ' ' No,' answered Bell, ' I have no money, but
God has enough, or what's better ! And I'll have my
child again.' These words were pronounced in the most
slow, solemn and determined measure and manner. And
in speaking of it, she says, ' Oh, my God ! I know'd I'd
have him agin. I was sure God would help me to get
him. Why, I felt so tall within — I felt as if the power of
a nation was with me ! '

The impressions made by Isabella on her auditors, when
moved by lofty or deep feeling, can never be transmitted
to paper, (to use the words of another,) till by some Da-
guerrian art, we are enabled to transfer the look, the ges-
ture, the tones of voice, in connection with the quaint, yet
fit expressions used, and the spirit-stirring animation that,
at such a time, pervades all she says.

After leaving her mistress, she called on Mrs. Gedney,
mother of him who had sold her boy ; who, after listening
to her lamentations, her grief being mingled with indigna-
tion at the sale of her son, and her declaration that she
would have him again — said, ' Dear me ! What a disturb-
ance to make about your child ! What, is your child bet-
ter than my child % My cliild is gone out there, and yours
is gone to live with her, to have enough of everything,
and to be treated like a gentleman ! ' And here she laugh-
ed at Isabel's absurd fears, as she would represent them to
be. 'Yes,' said Isabel, '■your child has gone there, but
she is married and my boy has gone as a slave, and he is
too little to go so far fi-om his mother. Oh, I must have

46 NARRATIVE OF

my chad.' And here the continued laugh of Mrs. G.
seemed to Isabel, in this time of anguish and distress, al-
most demoniacal. And well it was for Mrs. Gedney, that,
at that time, she could not even dream ot tne awful fate
awaiting her own beloved daughter, at the hands of him
whom she had chosen as worthy the wealth of her love
and confidence, and m whose society her young heart had
calculated on a happiness, purer and more elevated than
was ever conferred by a kingly crown. But, alas ! she
was doomed to disappointment, as we shall relate by and
by. At this pomt, Isabella earnestly begged of God that
he would show to those about her that He was her helper ;
and she adds, in narrating, ' And He did ; or, if He did
not show them, he did me.'

IT IS OFTEN DARKEST JUST BEFORE DAWN.

This homely proverb was illustrated in the case of our
sufferer ; for, at the period at which we have arrived in
our narrative, to her the darkness seemed palpable, and
the waters of affliction covered her soul ; yet light was
about to break in upon her.

Soon after the scenes related in our last chapter, which
had harrowed up her very soul to agony, she met a man,
(we would like to tell you who, dear reader, but it would
! le doing him no kindness, even at the present day, to do
so,) who evidently sympatliized with her, and counselled
her to go to the Quakers, telling her they were already
feeling very indignant at the fraudulent sale of her son,
and assuring her that they would readily assist her, and
direct her what to do. He pointed out to her two houses,
where lived some of those people, who formerly, more

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 47

than any other sect, perhaps, lived out the principles of
the gospel o^ Christ. She wended her way to their dwell-
ings, was listened to, unknown as she personally was to
them, with patience, and soon gained their sympathies and
active co-operation.

They gave her lodgings for the night ; and it is very
amusing to hear her tell of the ' nice, high, clean, white,
beautiful bed ' assigned her to sleep in, which contrasted
so strangely with her former pallets, that she sat down and
contemplated it, perfectly absorbed in wonder that such a
bed should have been appropriated to one like herself.
For some time she thought that she would lie down be-
neath it, on her usual bedstead, the floor. ' I did, indeed,'
says she, laughing heartily at her fonner self However,
she finally concluded to make use of the bed, for fear that
not to do so might mjure the feelings of her good hostess.
In the morning, the Quaker saw that she was taken and set
down near Kingston, with directions to go to the Court
House, and enter complamt to the Grand Jury.

By a little inquiry, she found which was the building she
sought, ^\ent into the door, and takmg tiie first man she
saw of i]Qposing appearance for the grand jury, she com-
menced her complaint. But he very civilly mformed
her there was no Grand Jury there ; slie must go up
stairs. When she had with some difficulty ascended the
flight through the crowd that filled them, she again turned
to the '■ (jrandesV lookmg man she could select, telling Mm
she . had come to enter a complaint to the Grand Jury.
For his own amusement, he mquired what her complaint
was ; but, when he saw it was a serious matter, he said to
her, ' This is no place to enter a complamt — go hi there,
pointing in a particular direction.

She then went in, where she foimd the Grand Jurors

48 NARRATIVE OF

indeed sitting, and again commenced to relate her injuries.
After holding some conversation among themselves, one
of them rose, and bidding her follow him, led the way to
a side office, where he heard her story, and asked her ' it
she could sweai- that the cliUd she spoke of was her son 'i '
'Yes,' she answered, 'I stoear it's my son.' 'Stop, stop !'
said the lawyer, ' you must swear by this book' — giving
her a book, which she thinks must have been the Bil>le.
She took it, and putting it to her lips, began again to swear
it was her child. The clerks, unable to preserve their grav-
ity any longer, burst into an uproarious laugh ; and one
of them inquired of lawyer Chip of what use it could bi.'
to make her swear. ' It will answer the law,' replied the
officer. He then made her comprehend just what he
wished her to do, and she took a lawful oath, as far as the
outward ceremony could make it one. All can judge how
far she understood its spirit and meaning.

He now gave her a writ, directing her to take it to the
constable of New Paltz, and have him serve it on Solomon
Gedney. She obeyed, walking, or rather trotting, in her
haste, some eight or nine miles.

But while the constable, through mistake, served the
writ on a brother of the real culprit, Solomon Gedney
slipped into a boat, and was nearly across the North
River, on whose banks they were standing, before the dull
Dutch constable was aware of his mistake. Solomon
Gedney, meanwhile, consulted a lawyer, who advised him
to go to Alabama and bring back the boy, otherwise it
might cost him fourteen years' imprisonment, and a
thousand dollars in cash. By this time, it is hoped he
began to feel that selling slaves unlawfully was not so
good a business as he had wisher) to find it. He secreted
hinii;elf till due preparations i;om1<1 be made, and soon set

SOJOURNER TRUTH, 49

sail for Alabama. Steamboats and railroads had not
then annihilated distance to the extent they now 'have,
and although he letl in the fall of the year, spring came
ere he returned, bringing the boy with him — but holding
on to him as his property. It had ever been Isabella's
prayer, not only that her son might be returned, but
that he should be delivered from bondage, and into her
own hands, lest he should be punished out of mere spite
to her, who was so greatly annoying and irritating to her
oppressors ; and if her suit was gained, her very triumph
would add vastly to their irritation.

She again sought advice of Esquire Chip, whose
counsel was, that the aforesaid constable serve the before-
mentioned writ upon the right person. This being done,
soon brought Solomon Gedney up to Kingston, where he
gave bonds for his appearance at court, in the sum of

$600.

Esquire Chip next informed his client, that her case

must now lie over till the next session of the court,
some months in the future. 'The law must take its
course,' said he.

'What ! wait another court ! wait months V said the
persevering mother. ' Why, long before that time, he
can go clear off, and take my child with him — no one
knows where. I cannot wait; I must have him now,
whilst he is to be had.' 'Well,' said the lawyer, very
coolly, 'if he puts the boy out of the way, he must pay
the .$000 — one half of which will be yours ;' supposing,
perhaps, that $300 would pay for a 'heap of children,' in
the eye of a slave who never, in all her life, called a dol-
lar her own. But in this instance, he was mistaken in his
reckoning. She assured him, that she had not been seek-
ing money, neither would money satisfy her ; it was her
4

50 NARRATIVE OF

son, and her son alone she wanted, and her son she must
have. Neither could she wait court, not she. The law-
yer used his every argument to convince her, that she
ought to be very thankful for what they had done for
her ; that it was a great deal, and it was but reasonable
that she should now wait patiently the time of the court.
Yet she never felt, for a moment, like being influenced
by these suggestions. She felt confident she was to
receive a full and literal answer to her prayer, the burden
of which had been — ' O Lord, give my son into my
hands, and that speedily ! Let not the spoilers have him
any longer.' Notwithstanding, she very distinctly saw
that those who had thus far helped her on so kindly were
wearied of her, and she feared God was wearied also.
She had a short time previous leai'ned that Jesus was a
Saviour, and an intercessor ; and she thought that if Jesus
could but Ije induced to plead for her in the present trial,
God would listen to him, though he were wearied of her
importunities. To him, of course, she applied. As she
was walking about, scarcely knowing whither she went,
asking within herself, ' Who will show me any good, and
lend a helping hand in this matter,' she was accosted
by a perfect stranger, and one whose name she has never
learned, in the following terms: 'Halloo, there; how do
you get along with your boyl do they give him up to
you?' She told him all, adding that now every body was
tired, and she had none to help her. He said, 'Look
here! I'll tell you what you'd better do. Do you see
that stone house yonder?' pointing in a particular direc-
tion. 'Well, lawyer Demain lives there, and do you go
to him, and lay your case before him; I think he'll help
you. Stick to him. Don't give him peace till he does.
I feel sure if you press him, he'll do it for you.' She

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 51

needed no further urging, but trotted off at her peculiar
gait in the direction of his house, as fast as possible, — and
she was not encumbered with stockings, shoes, or any
other heavy article of dress. When she had told him her
story, in her impassioned manner, he looked at her a
few moments, as if to ascertam if he were contemplating
a new variety of the genus homo, and then told her, if
she would give him five dollars, he would get her son for
her, in twenty-four hours. 'Why,' she replied, '7 have
no money ^ and never had a dollar in my life ! ' Said he,
' If you will go to those Quakers in Poppletown, who
carried you to court, they will help you to five dollars in
cash, I have no doubt ; and you shall have your son in
twenty-four hom-s, from the time you bring me that sum.'
She performed the journey to Poppletown, a distance of
some ten miles, very expeditiously ; collected consid-
erable more than the sum specified by the barrister; then,
shutting the money tightly in her hand, she trotted back,
and paid the lawyer a larger fee than he had demanded.
When inquired of by people what she had done with the
overplus, she answered, ' Oh, I got it for lawyer Demain,
and I gave it to him.' They assured her she was a fool
to do so ; that she should have kept all over five dollars,
and purchased herself shoes with it. ' Oh, I do not want
money or clothes now, I only want my son ; and if five
dollars will get him, more will surely get him.' And if
the lawyer had returned it to her, she avers she would
not have accepted it. She was perfectly willing he should
have every coin she could raise, if he would but restore
her lost son to her. Moreover, the five dollars he
required were for the remuneration of him who should go
after her son and his master, and not for his own services.
The lawyer now renewed his promise, that she should

52 NARRATIVE OF

have her son in twenty-four hours. But Isabella, having
no idea of this spate of time, went several times in a
day, to ascertain if her son had come. Once, when the
servant opened the door and saw her, she said, m a tone
expressive of much surprise, ' Why, this woman's come
asain !' She then wondered if she went too often. When
the lawyer appeared, he told her the twenty-four hours
would not expire till the next morning ; if she would call
then, she would see her son. The next morning saw
Isabel at the lawyer's door, while he was yet in his bed.
He now assured her it was morning till noon ; and that
before noon her son would be there, for he had sent the
famous 'Matty Styles' after him, who would not fail to
have the boy and his master on hand in due season, either
dead or alive ; of that he was sure. Telling her she
need not come again ; he would himself inform her of
tlieir arrival.

After dinner, he appeared at Mr. Rutzer's, (a place the
lawyer had procured for her, while she awaited the
arrival of her boy,) assuring her, her son had come ; but
that he stoutly denied having any mother, or any relatives
in that place ; and said, ' she must go over and identify
him.' She went to the office, but at sight of her the boy
cried aloud, and regarded her as some terrible being, who
was about to take him away from a kind and loving
friend. He knelt, even, and begged them, with tears,
not to take him away from his dear master, who had
brought him from the dreadful South, and been so kuid
to him.

When he was questioned relative to the bad scar on
his forehead, he said, ' Fowler's horse hove him.' And
of the one on his cheek, 'That was done by running
against the carriage.' In answeruig these questions he

SOJOUENER TRUTH. 63

looked imploringly at his master, as much as to say, ' If
they are falsehoods, you bade me say them ; may they
be satisfactory to you, at least.'

The justice, noting his appearance, bade him forget his
master and attend only to him. But the boy persisted
in denying his mother, and clinging to his master, saying
his mother did not live in such a place as that. How-
ever, they allowed the mother to identify her son ; and
Esquire Demain pleaded that he claimed the boy for her,
on the ground that he had been sold out of the State,
contrary to the laws in such cases made and provided —
spoke of the penalties annexed to said crime, and of the
sum of money the delinquent was to pay, in case any one
chose to prosecute him for the offence he had committed.
Isabella, who was sitting in a corner, scarcely daring to
breathe, thought within herself, ' If I can but get the boy,
the $200 may riinain for whoever else chooses to prose-
cute— / have doUL' enough to make myself enemies al-
ready'— and she trembled at the thought of the formida^
ble enemies she had probably arrayed against herself —
helpless and despised as she was. When the pleading
was at an end, Isabella understood the Judge to declare,
as the sentence of the Court, that the ' boy be delivered
into the hands of the mother — having no other master,
no other controller, no other conductor, but his mother.'
This sentence was obeyed; he was delivered into her
hands, the boy meanwhile begging, most piteously, not
to be taken from his dear master, saying she was not his
mother, and that his mother did not live in such a place
as that. And it was some time before lawyer Demain
the clerks, and Isabella, could collectively succeed in
calming the child's fears, and in convincing him that Isa-
bella was not some terrible monster, as he had for tixQ

64 NARRATIVE OF

last months, probably, been trained to believe ; and who,
in taking him away from his master, was taking him from
all good, and consigning him to all evil.

When at last kind words and hon bom had quieted his
fears, and he could listen to their explanations, he said to
Isabella — ' Well, you do look like my mother used to ;'
and she was soon able to make him comprehend some of
the obligations he was under, and the relation he stood in,
both to herself and his master. She commenced as soon
as practicable to examine the boy, and found, to her utter
astonishment, that from the crown of his head to the sole
of his foot, the callosities and indurations on his entire
body were most frightful to behold. His back she de-
scribed as being like her fingers, as she laid them side by
side.

'Heavens ! what is all thisP said Isabel. He answer-
ed, ' It is where Fowler whipped, kicked, and beat me.'
She exclaimed, ' Oh, Lord Jesus, look ! see my poor
child ! Oh Lord, " render unto them double" for all this !
Oh my God ! Pete, how did you bear it V

' Oh, this is nothing, mammy — if you should see Phil-
h's, I guess you'd scare ! She had a little baby, and
Fowler cut her till the milk as well as blood ran down
her body. You would scare to see Phillis, mammy.'

When Isabella inquired, ' What did Miss Eliza* say,
I'fite, when you were treated so badly ?' he replied, ' Oh,
mammy, she said she wished I was with Bell. Some-
times I crawled under the stoop, mammy, the blood run-
ning all about me, and my back would stick to the boards;
and sometimes Miss Eliza would come and grease my
Bores, when all were abed and asleep.'

* Moaning Mrs. Eliza Fowler.

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 55

DEATH OF MRS. ELIZA FOWLER.

As soon as possible she procured a place for Peter, as
tender of locks, at a place called Wahkendall, near Green-
kills. After he was thus disposed of, she visited her sister
Sophia, who resided at Newburg, and spent the winter ui
several different fomilies where she was acquainted. She
remained some time in the family of a Mr. Latin, who was
a visitmg relative of Solomon Gedney ; and the latter,
when he found Isabel with his cousin, used all his mfluence
to persuade him she was a great mischief maker and a very
troublesome person, — that she had put him to some hun
dreds of dollars expense, by fabricating lies about him, and
especially his sister and her family, concernmg her boy,
when the latter was living so like a gentleman with them ;
and, for his part, he would not advise his friends to harbor
or encourage her. However, his cousins, the Latins, could
not see with the eyes of his feelings, and consequently his
words fell powerless on them, and they retained her in their
service as long as they had aught for her to do.

She then went to visit her former master, Dumont. She
had scarcely arrived there, when Mr. Fred. Warmg en-
tered, and seeing Isabel, pleasantly accosted her, and asked
her ' what she was drivnng at now-a-days.' On her an-
swering ' nothing particular,' he requested her to go over
to his place, and assist his folks, as some of them were
sick, and they needed an extra hand. She very gladly
assented. When Mr. W. retired, her master wanted to
know why she wished to help people, that called her the
' worst of devils,' as Mr. Waring had done in the court-
house— for he was the uncle of Solomon Gedney, and at-
tended the trial we have described — and declared 'that she

56 NARRATIVE OF

was a fool to ; he wouldn't do it.' ' Oh,' she told him, ' she
would not mind that, but was very glad to have people for-
get their anger towards her.' She went over, but too h appy
to feel that their resentment was passed, and commenced
her work with a light heart and a strong will. She had not
worked long in this frame of mmd, before a yoimg da igh-
ter of Mr. Waring rushed into the room, exclaiming, \-r\\X\
uplifted hands — 'Heavens and earth, Isabella ! FowL'x's
murdered Cousin Eliza !' ' Ho,' said Isabel, ' thaC& noth'ng
— he liked to have killed m^ child ; nothing saved him but
God.' Meaning, that she was not at all surprised at it, for
a man whose heart was sufficiently hardened to treat a
mere child as hers had been treated, was, in her opinion ,
more fiend than human, and prepared for, the commission
of any crime that his passions might prompt him to. The
child further uiformed her, that a letter had arrived by
mail bringing the news.

Immediately after this announcement, Solomon Gedney
and his mother came in, going direct to Mrs. Waring's
room, where she soon heard tones as of some one reading.
She thought something said to her inwardly, ' Go up
stairs and hear.' At first she hesitated, but it seemed to
press her the more — ' Go up and hear ! ' She went up,
unusual as it is for slaves to leave their work and enter
unbidden their mistress's room, for the sole purpose of
seeing or hearing what may be seen or heard there. But
on this occasion, Isabella says, she walked in at the door,
shut it, placed her back against it, and listened. She saw
them and heard them read — ' He knocked her down with
his fist, jumped on her with his knees, broke her collar
bone, and tore out her wind-pipe ! He then attempted
his escape, but was pursued and arrested, and put in an
iron bank for safe-keeping ! ' And the fi-iends were re-

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 57

quested to go down and take away the poor innocent
children who had thus been made in one short day more
than orphans.

If this narrative should ever meet the eye of those
innocent sufferers for another's guilt, let them not be too
deeply affected by the relation ; but, placing their confi-
dence in Him who sees the end from the beginning, and
controls the results, rest secure in the faith, that, although
they may physically suffer for the sins of others, if they re-
main but true to themselves, their highest and more en-
during interests can never sutler from such a cause.
This relation should be suppressed for their sakes, were
it not even now so often denied, that slavery is fast under-
mining all true regard for human life. We know this
one instance is not a demonstration to the contrary ; but,
adding this to the lists of tragedies that weekly come up
to us through the Southern mails, may we not admit
them as proofs irrefragable 1 The newspapers confirm
this account of the terrible affair.

When Isabella had heard the letter, all being too much
absorbed in their own feelings to take note of her, she
returned to her work, her heart swelling with conflicting
emotions. She was awed at the dreadful deed ; she
mourned the fate of the loved Eliza, who had in such an
undeserved and barbarous manner been put away fi'om
her labors and watchings as a tender mother ; and, ' last
though not least,' in the development of her character
and spirit, her heart bled for the afflicted relatives ; even
those of them who ' laughed at her calamity, and mock-
ed when her fear came. ' Her thoughts dwelt long and
intently on the subject, and the wonderfiil chain of events
that had conspired to bring her that day to that house, to
listen to that piece of intelligence — to that house, where

58 NARRATiv'E Olf

she never was before or afterwards in her life, and invit-
ed there by people who had so lately been hotly
incensed against her. It all seemed very remarkable to
her, and she viewed it as flowing from a special providence
of God. She thought she saw clearly, that their unnatu-
ral bereavement was a blow dealt in retributive justice :
but she found it not in her heart to exult or rejoice over
them. She felt as if God had more than answered her
petition, when she ejaculated, in her anguish of mind,
' Oh, Lord, render unto them double ! ' She said, ' I
dared not find fault with God, exactly ; but the language
of my heart was, ' Oh. my God ! that's too much— I did
not mean quite so much, God ! ' It was a terrible blow
to the friends of the deceased ; and her selfish mother
(who, said Isabella, made such a ' to-do about her boy,
not from affection, ' but to have her own will and way')
went deranged, and walking to and fro in her delirium,
called aloud for her poor murdered daughter — ' Eliza !
Eliza!'

The derangement of Mrs. G. was a matter of hearsay,
as Isabella saw her not after the trial ; but she has no
reason to doubt the truth of what she heard. Isabel
could never learn the subsequent fate of Fowler, but
heard in the spring of '49 that his children had been
seen in Kingston — one of whom was spoken of as a fine,
interesting girl, albeit a halo of sadness fell like a veil
about her.

ISABELLA'S RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.

We will now turn from the outward and temporal to
the inward and spiritual life of our subject. It is ever
both interesting and instructive to trace the exercises o

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 59

a human mind, through the trials and mysteries of life ;
and especially a naturally powerful mind, left as hers was
almost entirely to its own workings, and the chance in-
fluences it met on its way ; and especially to note its
reception of that divine ' light, that lighteth every man
that Cometh into the world.'

We see, as knowledge dawns upon it, truth and error
strangely commingled ; here, a bright spot illuminated
by truth — and there, one darkened and distorted by
error ; and the state of such a soul may be compared to
a landscape at early dawn, where the sun is seen superbly
gilding some objects, arid causing others to send forth
their lengthened, distorted, and sometimes hideous shad-
ows.

Her mother, as we have already said, talked to her of
God. From these conversations, her incipient mind drew
the conclusion, that God was ' a great man ; ' greatly su-
perior to other men in power ; and being located ' high
in the sky,' could see all that transpired on the earth.
She believed he not only saw, but noted down all her ac-
tions in a great book, even as her master kept a record
of whatever he wished not to forget. But she had no
idea that God knew a thought of hers till she had uttered
it aloud.

As we have before mentioned, she had ever been mind-
ful of her mother's injunctions, spreading out in detail all
her troubles before God, imploring and firmly trusting
him to send her deliverance from them. Whilst yet a
child, she listened to a story of a wounded soldier, left
alone in the trail of a flying army, helpless and starving,
who hardened the very ground about him with kneeling
in his supplications to God for relief, until it arrived.
From this narrat've, she was deeply impressed with the

60 MARK ATI VE OF

idea, that if she also were to present her petitions under
the open canopy of heaven, speaking very loud, she
should the more readily be heard ; consequently, she
sought a fitting spot for this, her rural sanctuary. The
place she selected, in which to offer up her daily orisons,
was a small island in a small stream, covered with large
willow shrubbery, , beneath which the sheep had made
their pleasant winding paths ; and sheltering themselves
from the scorching rays of a noon-tide sun, luxuriated in
the cool shadows of the graceful willows, as they listened
to the tiny falls of the silver waters. It was a lonely
spot, and chosen by her for its beauty, its retirement, and
because she thought that there, in the noise of those
waters, she could speak louder to God, without being
overheard by any who might pass that way. When she
had made choice of her sanctum, at a point of the island
where the stream met, after having been separated, she
improved it by pulling away the branches of the shrubs
from the centre, and weaving them together for a wall
on the outside, forming a circular arched alcove, made
entirely of the graceful willow. To this place she re-
sorted daily, and in pressing times much more frequently.

At this time, her prayers, or, more appropriately,
* talks with God,' were perfectly original and unique, and
would be well worth preserving, were it possible to give
the tones and manner with the words ; but no adequate
idea of them can be written while the tones and manner
remain inexpressible.

She would sometimes repeat, ' Our Father in heaven,'
in her Low Dutch, as taught her by her mother , after
that, all was from the suggestions of her own rude mind.
She related to God, in minute detail, all her troubles and
sufferings, inquiring, a= she proceeded, ' Do you think

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 61

that's right, God 1 ' and closed by begging to be delivered
from the evil, whatever it might be.

She talked to God as familiarly as if he had been a
creature like herself; and a thousand times more so, than
if she had been in the presence of some earthly p®tentate
She demanded, with little expenditure of reverence or
fear, a supply of all her more pressing wants, and at
times her demands approached very near to commands.
She felt as if God was under obligation to her, much
more than she was to him. He seemed to her benighte-d
vision in some manner bound to do her bidding.

Her heart recoils now, with very dread, when she re
calls these shocking, almost blasphemous conversations
with the great Jehovah. And well for herself did she
deem it, that, unlike earthly potentates, his infinite cha^
racter combined the tender father with the omniscient
and omnipotent Creator of the um'verse.

She at first commenced promising God, that if he would
help her out of all her difiiculties, she would pay him by
being very good ; and this goodness she intended as a re-
numeration to God. She could thhik of no benefit that
was to accrue to herself or her fellow-creatures, from her
leading a life of purity and generous self-sacrifice for the
good of others ; as far as any but God was concerned,
she saw nothing in it but heart-trying penance, sustained
by the sternest exertion ; and this she soon found much
more easily promised than performed.
. Days wore away — new trials came — God's aid was in-
voked, and the same promises repeated ; and every suc-
cessive night found her part of the contract unfulfilled.
She now began to excuse herself, by telling God she could
not be good in her present circumstances ; but if he
would give her a new plnop. nnd a froorl master and mi*

62 NARRATIVE OF

txess, she could and would be good ; and she expressly
stipulated, that she would be good one day to show Goo
how good she would be all of the time, when he should
surround her with the right influences, and she should be
delivered from the temptations that then so sorely beset
her. But, alas ! when night came, and she became con-
scious that she had yielded to all her temptations, and
entirely faUed of keeping her word with God, having
prayed and promised one hour, and fallen into the sins of
anger and profanity the next, the mortifying reflection
weighed on her mind, and blunted her enjoyment. Still,
she did not lay it deeply to heart, but continued to repeat
her demands for aid, and her promises of pay, with full
purpose of heart, at each particular tinie, that that day
she would not fail to keep her plighted word.

Thus perished the inward spark, like a flame just ignit-
ing, when one waits to see whether it will burn on or die
out, till the long desired change came, and she found her-
self in a new place, with a good mistress, and one who
never instigated an otherwise kind master to be unkind
to her ; in short, a place where she had literally nothing
to complain of, and where, for a time, she was more hap-
py than she could well express. ' Oh, every thing there
was so pleasant, and kind, and good, and all so comforta-
ble ; enough of every thing; indeed, it was beautiful!'
she exclaimed.

Here, at Mr. Van Wagener's, — as the reader will read-
ily perceive she must have been, — she was so happy and
satisfied, that God was entirely forgotten. Why should
her thoughts turn to Him, who was only known to her as
a help in trouble 1 She had no trouble now ; her every
prayer had been answered in every mmute particular.
She had been delivered from her persecutors and temp-

SOJOUENER TRUTH. 63

tations, her youngest child had been given her, and the
others she knew she had no means of sustaining if she had
them with her, and was content to leave them behind.
Their father, who was much older than Isabel, and who
preferred serving his time out in slavery, to the trouble
and dangers of the course she pursued, remamed with
and could keep an eye on them — though it is comparatively
little that they can do for each other while they remain in
slavery ; and this little the slave, like persons in every
other situation of life, is not always disposed to perform.
, There are slaves, who, copying the selfishness of their su-
periors in power, m their conduct towards their fellows
who may be thrown upon their mercy, by infirmity or
illness, allow them to suffer for want of that kindness and
care wliich it is fully in their power to render them.

The slaves iji this country have ever been allowed to
celebrate the principal, if not some of the lesser festivals
observed by the Catholics and Church of England ; many
of them not being required to do the least service for
several days, and at Christmas they have almost univer-
sally an entire week to themselves, except, perhaps, the
attending to a few duties, which are absolutely required
for the comfort of the families they belong to. If much
service is desired, they are hired to do it, and paid for it
as if they were free. The more sober portion of them
spend these holidays in earning a little money. Most of
them visit and attend parties and balls, and not a i%^ of
them spend it m the lowest dissipation. This respite from
toil is granted them by all religiom'sts, of whatever per-
suasion, and probably originated from the fact that many
of the first slaveholders were members of the Church of
England.

Frederick Douglass, who has devoted his great heart

^ NARRATIVE OF

and noble talents entirely to the furtherance of the cause
of his down-trodden race, has said— 'From what I know
of the effect of their holidays upon the slave, I believe
them to be among the most etfective means, in the hands
of the slaveholder, in keeping down the spirit of insur-
rection. Were the slaveholders at once to abandon this
practice, I have not the slightest doubt it would lead to
ail immediate insurrection among the slaves. These hol-
idays serve as conductors, or safety-valves, to carry off
the rebellious spirit of enslaved hum anity . But for these,
the slave would be forced up to the wildest desperation ;
and woe betide the slaveholder, the day he ventures to
remove or hinder the operation of those conductors ! ^ I
■ warn him that, in such an event, a spirit will go forth in
their midst, more to be dreaded than the most appalling

earthquake.'

When Isabella had been at Mr. Van Wagener's a few
months, she saw in prospect one of the festivals approach-
uig. She Imows it by none but the Dutch name, Pingster,
as she calls it— but I think it must have been Whit-
suntide, in English. She says she ' looked back into Egypt,'
and everything looked 'so pleasant there,' as she saw ret-
respectively all her former companions enjoymg their
freedom for at least a little space, as well as their wonted
convivialities, and in her heart she longed to be with them.
With this picture before her mind's eye, she contrasted
the quiet, peaceful lifo she was living with the excellent
people of Wahkendall, and it seemed so dull and void ot
incident, that the very contrast served but to heighten her
desire to return, that, at least, she might enjoy with them,
once more, the coming festivities. These feelmgs had oc-
cupied a secret corner of her breast for some time, when,
one morning, she told Mrs. Van Wager.er that her old

SOJOIKXER TRUTH, 65

master Dumont would come that day, and that she should
go home with him on liis return. They expressed some sur-
prise, and asked her where she obtamed her information.
She replied, that no one had told her, but she felt that he
would come.

It seemed to have been one of those ' events that cast
their shadows before;' for, before night, Mr. Dumont
made his appearance. She mformed him of her mten-
tion to accompany him home. He answered, with a
smile, ' I shall not take you back again ; you ran away
fi-om me.' Thinking liis manner contradicted his words,
she did not feel repulsed, but made herself and cluld
ready ; and when her former master had seated himself in
the open dearborn, she walked towards it, intending to
place herself and child in the rear, and go with him. But,
ere she reached the vehicle, she says that God revealed
himself to her, with all the suddemiess of a flash of light-
ning, showmg her, ' in the twmkling of an eye, that he was
all over'' — that he pervaded the universe — 'and that there
was no place where God was not.' She became instantly
conscious of her great sin in forgetting her almighty
Friend and ' ever-present help m time of trouble.' All
her unfulfilled promises arose before her, like a vexed sea
whose waves run mountains laigh ; and her soul, which
seemed but one mass of lies, shrunk back aghast fropi
the 'awful look' of Him whom she had formerly talked
R», as if he had been a bemg lilce herself; and she would
now fain have hid herself in the bowels of the earth, to
have escaped his dread presence. But she plainly saw
tiiere was no place, not even in hell, where he was not :
and where could she flee ? Another such 'a look,' as she
expressed it, and she feU that she must be extinguished
5

66 NARRATIVE OF

forever, even as one, with the breath of his mouth, ' blows
out a lamp,' so that no spark remains.

A dire di-ead of amiihilation now seized her, and she
waited to see if, hy ' another look,' she was to be stricken
from existence,— swallowed up, even as the fire licketh up
the oil with which it comes m contact.

When at last the second look came not, and her atten-
tion was once more called to outward things, she obser-
ved her master had left, and exclaiming aloud, ' Oh, God,
I did not Imow you were so big,' walked into the house,
and made an effort to resume her work. But the work-
ings of the inward man were too absorbmg to admit of
much attention to her avocations. She desired to talk to
God, but her vileness utterly forbade it, and she was not
able' to prefer a petition. 'What !' said she, ' shall I lie
again to God? I have told him nothing but lies; and
shaUIspeak agam, and tell another lie to God r She
could not; and now she began to wish for some one to
speak to God for her. Then a space seemed opening be-
tween her and God, and she felt that if some one, who
was worthy m the sight of heaven, would but plead /or
her in their own name, and not let God know it came
from her, who was so unworthy, God might grant it. At
length a friend appeared to stand between herself and an
insSted Deity ; and she felt as sensibly refreshed as when,
on a hot day, an umbrella had been interposed between
her scorching head and a burning svm. But who was this
friend % became the next inquiry. Was it Deencia, who
had so often befriended her 1 She looked at her with hei
new power of sight— and, lo ! she, too, seemed all ' bruises
and putrifying sores,' like herself No, it was some one
very different from Deencia.

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 67

' Who are you ?' she exclaimed, as the vision brightened
mto a form distinct, bejiming with the beauty of holiness,
and radiant with love. She then said, audibly address-
ing the mysterious visitant—' I know you, and I dmi't
know you.' Meaning, ' You seem perfectly familiar ; I
feel that you not only love me, but that you always have
loved me — yet I know you not— I cannot call you by
name.' When she said, ' I know you,' the subject of the
vision remained distinct and quiet. When she said, ' I
don't know you,' it moved restlessly about, like agitated
waters. So while she repeated, wthout intermission, 'I
know you, I know you,' that the vision might remain —
' Who are you f was the cry of her heart, and her whole
soul was m one deep prayer that this heavenly personage
might be revealed to her, and remaua with her. At
length, after bending both soul and body with the inten-
sity of this desire, till breath and strength seemed failing,
and she could maintain her position no longer, an answer
came to her, sayuig distmctly, ' It is Jesus.' ' Yes,' she
responded, ' it is JesusJ

Previous to these exercises of mind, she heard Jesus
mentioned in reading or speakmg, but had received from
what she heard no impression that he was any other than
an eminent man, like a Washington or a Lafayette. Now
he appeared to her delighted mental vision as so mild, so
good, and so every way lovely, and he loved her so much !
And, how strange that he had always loved her, and she
had never known it ! . And how great a blessing he con-
ferred, m that he should stand between her and God !
And God was no longer a terror and a dread to her.

She stopped not to argue the point, even in her own
mind, whether he had reconciled her to God, or God to
herself, (though she thinks the former now,) being but

68 NARRATIVE OF

too happy that God was no longer to her as a consunung
fire, and Jesus was ' altogether lovely.' Her heart was
now full of joy and gladness, as it had been of terror,
and at one "time of despair. In the light of her great
happiness, the world was clad in new beauty, the very
air sparkled as with diamonds, and was redolent of heaven.
She contemplated the unapprojw:-hable barriers that exist-
ed between herself and the great of this world, as the
world calls greatness, and made surprising comparisons
between them, and the union existing between herself and
Jesus,— Jesus, the transcendently lovely as well as great
and powerful ; for so he appeared to her, though he seem-
ed but human ; and she watched for his bodily appearance,
feeluig that she should know lum, if she saw him ; and
when he came, she should go and dwell with him, as with

a dear fiiend.

It was not given her to see that he loved any other ;
Mid she thought if others came to know and love him, as
she did, she should be thrust aside and forgotten, being
herself but a poor ignorant slave, with little to recom-
mend her to his notice. And when she heard him spoken
of, she said mentally— 'What! others know Jesus! 1
thought no one knew Jesus but me !' and she felt a sort
of jetalousy, lest she should be robbed of her newly found

treasure.

She conceived, one day, as she listened to readbg, that
she heard an intimation that Jesus was married, and has-
tily inquired if Jesus had a wife. ' What !' said the read-
er, ' God have a wife ?' ' Is Jesus God T inquired Isabella.
' Yes, to be sure he is,' was the answer returned. From
this time, her conceptions of Jesus became more elevar
ted and spiritual ; and she sometimes spoke of him as
God, in accordance with th^. teaching she had received.

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 69

But when she was simply told, that the Christian world
was much divided on the subject of Christ's nature — some
believing him to be coequal with the Father — to be God
in and of himself, ' very God, of very God ;' — some, that
he is the ' well-beloved,' ' only begotten Son of God ;' —
and others, that he is, or was, rather, but a mere man —
she said, ' Of that I only know as I saw. I did not see
him to be God ; else, how could he stand between me
and God ? I saw him as a friend, standing between me
and God, through whom, love flowed as from a fountain.'
Now, so far from expressing her views of Christ's char-
acter and office in accordance with any system of theolo-
gy extant, she says she believes Jesus is the same spirit
that was in our first parents, Adam and Eve, in the be-
ginning, when they came from the hand of their Creator.
When they sinned through disobedience, this pure spirit
forsook them, and fled to heaven; that there it remained,
until it returned again in the person of Jesus ; and that,
previous to a personal union with him, man is but a
brute, possessing only the spirit of an animal.

She avers that, in her Jiirkest hours, she had no fear of
any worse hell than the one she then carried m her bosom ;
though it had ever been pictured to her in its deepest
colors, and threatened her as a reward for all her misde-
meanors. Her vileness and God's holmess and all-per-
vading presence, which filled immensity, and threatened
her with instant annihilation, composed the burden of hei
vision of terror. Her fiiith in prayer is equal to her faith in
the love of Jesus, Her language is, ' Let others say what
they will of the efficacy of prayer, /believe in it, and/ shall
pray. Thank God ! Yes^Ishalla/wai/sprai/,'' she exclahnSy
putting her hands together with the greatest enthusiasm.

For some time subsequent to the happy change we

70 NARRATIVE OF

have spoken of, Isabella's prayers partook largely of
their former character ; and while, in deep affliction, she
labored for the recovery of her son, she prayed with
constancy and fervor ; and the following may be taken
as a specimen : — ' Oh, God, you know how much I am
distressed, for I have told you again and again. Now,
God, help me get my son. If you were in trouble, as I
aia, and I could help you, as you can me, think I would n't
do it? Yes, God, you know I would do it.' ' Oh, God,
you know I have no inoney, but you can make the peo-
ple do for me, and you must make the people do for me.
I will never give you peace till you do, God.' ' Oh,
God, make the people hear me — don't let them turn nie
off, without hearing and helping me.' And she has not a
particle of doubt, that God heard her, and especially dis-
posed the hearts of thoughtless clerks, eminent lawyers,
and grave judges and others — ^between whom and herself
there seemed to her almost an infinite remove- — to listen
to her suit with patient and respectful attention, backing
it up with all needed aid. The sense of her nothingness,
in the eyes of those .vith M'hom she contended for her
rights, sometimes fell on her like a heavy weight, which
nothing but her unwavering confidence in an arm which
she believed to be stronger than all others combined
could have raised from her sinking spiiit. ' Oh ! how
little 1 did feel,' she repeated, with a powerful emphasis.
' Neither would you wonder, if you could have seen me,
in my ignorance and destitution, trotting about the sti'cets,
meanly clad, bare-headed, and bare-footed ! Oh, God
only could have made such people hear me; and he did
it in answer to my prayers.' And this perfect trust,
based on the rock of Deity, was a soul-protecting fortress,
which, raising her above the battlements of fear, and

"SOJOURNER TRUTH. 71

shielding her from the • machinations of the enemy, im-
pelled her onward in the struggle, till the foe was van
quished, and the victory gained.

We have now seen Isabella, her youngest daughter,
and her only son, in possession of, at least, their nomi-
nal freedom. It has been said that the fi*eedom of the
most free of the colored people of this country is but
nominal ; but stinted and limited as it is, at best, it is
an immense remove from chattel slavery. This fact is
disputed, I know ; but I have no confidence in the honesty
of such questionings. If they are made in sincerity, I
honor not the judgment that thus decides.

Her husband, quite advanced in age, and infirm of
health, was emancipated, with the balance of the adult
slaves of the State, according to law, the following sum-
mer, July 4, 182S.

For a few years after this event, he was able to earn a
scanty living, and when he failed to do that, he was de-
pendent on the ' world's cold charity,' and died in a poor-
house. Isabella had herself and two children to provide for ;
her wages were trifling, for at that time the wages of
females were at a small advance from nothing ; and she
doubtless had to learn the first elements of economy —
for what slaves, that were never allowed to make any
stipulations or calculations for themselves, ever possess-
ed an adequate idea of the true value of time, or, in flxct,
of any material thing in the universe? To such, 'pru-
dent using ' is meanness — and ' saving' is a word to be
sneered at. Of course, it was not in her power to make
to herself a home, around whose sacred hearth-
stone she could collect her family, as they gradually
emerged from their prison-house of bondage ; a home,
where she could cultivate their affection, administer to

72 NARRATIVE OF

their wants, and instil into the opening minds of her chil-
dren those principles of virtue, and that love of purity,
truth and benevolence, wliich must ever form the foun-
dation of a life of usefulness and happiness. No — all this
was far beyond her power or means, in more senses than
one; and it should be taken into the account, whenever
a Q^H^ipon is instituted between the progress made
by iier^Btdren in virtue and goodness, and the progress
of those who have been nurtured in the genial warmth of
a sunny home, where good influences cluster, and bad
ones are carefully excluded — where ' line upon line, and
precept upon precept,' are daily brought to their quoti-
dian tasks — and where, in short, every appliance is
brought hi requisition, that self-denying parents can
bring to bear on one of the dearest objects of a parent's
life, the promotion of the welfare of their children. But
God forbid that this suggestion should be wrested fi'om
its original intent, and made to shield any one from merit-
ed rebuke! Isabella's children are now of an age to know
good from evil, and may easily inform themselves on any
point where they may yet be in doubt ; and if they now suf-
fer themselves to be drawn by temptation into the paths of
the destrover. or forget what is due lo the mother who
has done and suffered so much for them, and who, now
that she is descending into thf vale of years, and feels
her healtn and strength decluiing, will turn her expect-
ing eyes to th^m for aid and comfort, just as instinctively
as the child turns its confiding eye to its fond parent,
when it sf ek;s for succor or for sympathy — (for it is now
their turn to do the work, and bear the burdens of life,
as all mu'^r oeiJT them in turn, as the wheel of life rolls
on) — if, I sav. they forget this, theii- duty and their happi-
ness, and pursue an opposite course of sin and folly, they

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 73

must lose the respect of the wise and good, and find,
when too late, that ' the way of the transgressor is hard.*

NEW TRIALS.

The reader will pardon this passing homily, while we
return to our narrative.

We were saying that the day-dreams of Isabella and her
husband — the plan they drew of what they would do, and
the comforts they thought to have, when they should obtain
their freedom, and a little home of their own — had all
turned to ' tliin air,' by the postponement of their fn-cdum
to so late a day. These delusive hopes were never to Ije
realized, and a new set of trials was gradually to open
before her. These were the heart-wasting trials of watch-
ing over her children, scattered, and imminently exposed
to the temptations of the adversary, with few, if any, fixed
prmciples to sustain them.

' Oh,' she says, ' how little did I know myself of the best
way to instruct and counsel them ! Yet I did the l»est 1
then knew, when with them. I took them to the religious
meetings ; I talked to, and prayed for and with them ; when
they did wi'ong, I scolded at and whipped them.'

Isabella and her son had been free about a year, when
they went to reside in the city of New York ; a place which
she would doubtless have avoided, could she have seen what
was there in store for her ; for this view into the future
would have taught her what she only learned by bitter ex
perience, that the baneful mfluences going up fi'om such a
city were not the best helps to education, commenced as
the education of her children had been.

Her son Peter was, at the time of which we are speak-

74 NARRATIVE DF

ing, just at that a^e when no lad should be subjected to
the temptations of such a place, unprotected as he was,
save by the feeble arm of a mother, herself a servant
there. He was growing up to be a tall, well-formed, ac-
tive lad, of quick perceptions, mild and cheerful m his dis-
position, with much that was open, generous and wimiing
about him, but with little power to withstand temptation,
and a ready ingenuity to provide himself with ways and
means to carry out his plans, and conceal from his mother
and her friends, all such as he knew would not meet their
approbation. As will be readily believed, he was soon
drawn into a circle of associates who did not improve either
his habits or his morals.

Two years passed before Isabella knew what character
Peter was establishing for himself among his low and
worthless comrades — passing under the assumed name of
Peter Williams ; and she began to feel a parent's pride in
the promising appearance of her only son. But, alas ! this
pride and pleasure were shortly dissipated, as distressing
facts relative to him came one by one to her astonished ear.
A friend of Isabella's, a lady, who was much pleased with
the good humor, iagenuity, and open confessions of Peter,
when driven into a corner, and who, she said, 'was so
smart, he ought to have an education, if any one ought,' —
paid ten dollars, as tuitioc fee, for hiin to attend a naviga-
tion school. But Peter, little inclined to spend his leisure
hours in study, when he might be enjoying himself in the
dance, or otherwise, with his boon companions, went regu-
larly and made some plausible excuses to the teacher, who
received theta as genuine, along with the ten dollars of Mrs.

, and while his mother and her friend believed him

improving at school, he was, to their latent sorrow, im-
proving ui a very different place or places, and on entirely

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 75

opposite principles. They also procured hiin an excellent
place as a coackman. But, wanting money, he sold hi*
livery, and other tilings belonging to his master ; who, hav
mg conceived a kmd regard for him, considered his youth,
and prevented the law from falluig, with all its I'igor, upor
his head. Still he continued to abuse his privileges, and
to involve himself in repeated difficulties, from which his
mother as often extricated him. At each time, she talked
much, and reasoned arid remonstrated with him ; and he
would, ^vith such perfect frankness, lay open his whole souj
to her, telling her he had never intended doing harm, —
how he had been led along, little by little, till, before he
was aware, he found himself in trouble — how he had tried
to be good — and how, when he would have been so, 'evil
was present with him,' — indeed he knew not how it was.

His mother, beginning to feel that the city was no place
for him, urged his going to sea, and would have shipped
him on board a man-of-war ; but Peter was not disposed
to consent to that proposition, wliile the city and its plea
sures were accessible to him. Isabella now became a
prey to distressing fears, dreading lest the next day or
hour come fraught with the report of some dreadliii
crime, committed or abetted by her son. She thanks the
Lord for sparing her that giant sorrow, as all his wron^i
doings never ranked higher, in the eye of the law, than
misdemeanors. But as she could see no improvement m
Peter, as a last resort, she resolved to leave him, for a
time, unassisted, to bear the penalty of his conduct, ana
see what effect that would have on him. In the trial hour,
she remained firm in her resolution. Peter again fell into
the hands of the police, and sent for his mother, as usual ;
but she went not to his relief. In his extremity, he sent
for Peter Williams, a respectable colored barber, whoso

76 NARRATIVE OF

name he had been wearing, and who sometimes helped
young culprits out of their troubles, and sent them from
city dangers, by shipping them on board of whaling vessels.

The curiosity of this man was awakened by the cul-
prit's bearing his own name. He went to the Tombs and
inquired into h'.s case, but could not believe what Peter
told him respecting his mother and family. Yet he re-
deemed him, and Peter promised to leave New York in
a vessel that was to sail in the course of a week. He
went to see his mother, and informed her of what had
happened to him. She listened incredulously, as to an
idle tale. He asked her to go with him and see for her-
self. She went, giving no credence to his story till she
found herself in the presence of Mr. Williams, and heard
him saying to her, ' I am very glad I have assisted your
son ; he stood in great need of sympathy and assistance ;
but I could not think he had such a mother here, although
he assured me he had.'

Isabella's great trouble now was, a fear lest her son
should deceive his benefactor, and be missing when the
vessel sailed ; but he begged her earnestly to trust him,
for he said he had resolved to do better, and .meant to
abide by the resolve. Isabella's heart gave her no peace
till the time of sailing, when Peter sent Mr. Williams
and another messenger whom she knew, to tell her he
had sailed. But for a month afterwards, she looked to
see him emerging from some by-place in the city, and
appearing before her ; so afraid was she that he was still
unfaithful, and doing wrong. But he did not appear, and
at length she "believed him really gone. He left in the
summer of 1839, and his friends heard nothing further
from him till his motlier received the followmg letter,
dated ' October 17 1840' —

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 77

My Dear and Beloved Mother :

' I take this opportunity to write to you and inform you
that I am well, and in hopes for to find you the same. I
am got on board the same unlucky ship Done, of Nan-
tucket. I am sorry for to say, that I have been punished
once severely, by shoving my head in the fire for other
folks. We have had bad luck, but in hopes to have bet-
ter. We have about 230 on board, but in hopes, if do n't
kave good luck, that my parents will receive me with
thanks. I would like to know how my sisters are. Does
my cousins live in New York yet 1 Have you got my
letter ? If not, inquire to Mr. Pierce Whiting's. I wish
you would write me an answer as soon as possible. I am
your only son, that is so far fi'om your home, in the wide,
briny ocean. I have seen more of the world than ever I
expected, and if I ever should return home safe, 1 will tell
you all my troubles and hardships. Mother, I hope you
do not forget me, your dear and only son. 1 should like
to know how Sophia, and Betsey, and Hannah, come on.
1 hope you all will forgive me for all that I have done.
' Your son, PETER VAN WAGENER.'

Another letter reads as follows, dated 'March 22,
1841':—

' My Dear Mother :

• ' I take this opportunity to write to you, and inform
you that I have been well and in good health. I have
wrote you a letter before, but have received no answer
from you, and was very anxious to see you. I hope to
see you in a short time. I have had very hard luck, but
are in hopes to have better in time to come. I should

78 NARRATIVE OF

like if my sisters are well, and all the people round the
neighborhood. I expect to be home in twenty-two
months or thereabouts. 1 have seen Samuel Laterett.
Beware ! There has happened very bad news to tell
you. that Peter Jackson is dead. He died within two
days' sail of Otaheite, one of the Society Islands. The
Peter Jackson that used to live at Laterett's ; he died on
board the ship Done, of Nantucket, Captain Miller, in the
latitude 15 53, and longitude 148 30 W. I have no more
to say at present, but write as soon as possible.
' Your only son,

'PETER VAN WAGENER.'

Another, contaming the last intelligence she has had
from her son, reads as follows, and was dated ' Sept. 19,
1841 ' :—

' Dear Mother :

' 1 take this opportunity to write to you and inform
you that I am well and in good health, and in hopes to
find you in the same. This is the fifth letter that I have
wrote to you, and have received no answer, and it makes
me very uneasy. So pray write as quick as you can, and
tell me how all the people is about the neighborhood.
We are out from home twenty-three months, and in
hopes to be home in fifteen months. I have not much to
say ; but tell me if you have been up home since I left
or not. I want to know what sort of a time is at home.
We had very bad luck when we first came out, but since
we have had very good ; so I am in hopes to do well yet ;
but if I do n't do well, you need not expect me home these
five years. So write as quick as you can, won't you 1 So
now I am going to put an end to my writing, at present.

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 79

Notice — when thi • yen see -emember me, and place me
in your mind.

Get me to my noma, tiiai r; in the far distant west,
To the scenes of my childhood, that I hke the best;
There the tall cedars grow, and the bright waters flow,
Where my parents will greet me, white man, let me go!

Let me go to the spot where the cateract plays,
Where oft I have sported in my boyish days ;
And there is my poor mother, whose heart ever flows.
At the sight of her poor child, to her let me go, let me go!

' Your only son,

'Peter Van Wagener.'

Since the date of the last letter, Isabella has heard no
tidings from her long-absent son, though ardently does
her mother's heart long for such tidmgs, as her thoughts
follow him around the world, in his perilous vocation,
saying within herself — ' He is good now, I have no doubt ;
I feel sure that he has persevered, and kept the resolve
he made before he left home ; — he seemed so different
before he went, so determined to do better.' His letters
are inserted here for preservation, in case they prove the
last she ever hears from him in tliis world.

FINDING A BROTHER AND SISTER.

■When Isabella had obtained the freedom of her son,
she remained in Kingston, where she had been drawn by
the judicial process, about a year, during which time she
became a member of the Methodist Church there : and
when she went to New York, she took a letter missive
from that church to the iMethodist Church in John street

80 NARRATIVE OP

Afterwai'ds, sh<^ ■'Withdrew her connection with that church,
and joined Zion's Churcl m Church street, composed
entirely of colored pei.-ple. With the latter church she
remauied until she went to reside with Mr. Pierson,
after which, she was gradually dra^vn into the 'kuigdom'
.s«;t up by the prophet Matthias, in the name of God the
Father ; for he said tne spirit of God the Father dwelt
m him.

While Isabella was in New York, her sister Sophia
came from Newburg to reside in the former place. Isabel
had been favored with occasional interviews -n^'th this
sister, although at one time she lost sight of her for the
space of seventeen years — almost the entire period of
of her bemg at Mr. Dumont's — and when she appeared
before her agaui, handsomely dressed, she did not recog
nize hex-, till informed who she was. Sophia informed
her that her brother Michael — a brother she had nevei
seen— was in the city ; and when she introduced him to
Isabella, he informed her that their sister Nancy had been
living in the city, and had deceased a few months before.
He described her features, her dress, her manner, and
said she had for some time been a member ui Zion's
Church, naming the class she belonged to. Isabella
almost instantly recognized her as a sister in the church,
with whom she had knelt at the altar, and with whom
she had exchanged the speaking pressure of the hand, in
recognition of their spii'itual sisterhood ; little thinking,
at the time, that they were also children of the same
earthly parents — ^even Bomefree and Mau-mau Bett. As
inquiries and answers rapidly passed, and the conviction
deepened that this was their sister, the very sister they
had heard so much of, but had never seen, (for she was
the self-same sister that had beei^ locked in tin- gi-eat old

SOJOURNER TRUTH, 81

fashioned sleigh-box, when she was taken away, never to
behold her mother's face again this side the spirit-land,
and Michael, the narrator, was the brother who had

shared her fate,) Isabella thought, ' D h ! here she

was ; we met ; and was I not, at the time, struck with
the peculiar feeling of her hand — the bony hardness so
just like mine ? and yet I could not know she was my
sister; and now I see she looked so like my mother''
And Isabella wept, and not alone ; Sophia wept, and the
strong man, Michael, mmgled his tears with theirs, ' Oh
Lord,' inquired Isabella, ' what is this slavery, that it cai»
do such dreadful things 1 what evil can it not do 1' Well
may she ask ; for surely the evils it can and does da
daily and hourly, can never be summed up, till we can see
them as they are recorded by him who writes no errors,
and reckons without mistake. This account, which now
varies so widely in the estimate of different mmds, will
be viewed alike by all.

Think you, dear reader, when that day comes, the most
' rabid abolitionist ' will say — ' Behold, I saw all tliis whil(^
on the earth?' Will he not rather say, ' Oh, who has
conceived the breadth and depth of this moral malaria,
this putrescent plague-spot?' Perhaps the pioneers in
the slave's cause will be as much surprised as any to find
that with all their looking, there remained so much
unseen.

GLEANINGS,

There are some hard things that crossed Isabella's life

while in slavery, that she has no desire to publish, for va.

rious reasons. First, because the parties from whose

hands she suffered them have rendered up their account

6

82 NARRATIVE OF

to a higher trib mal, and their innocent friends alone are
living, to have their feelings injured by the recital ; sec-
ondly, because they are not all for the public ear, from
their very nature ; thirdly, and not least, because, she
says, were she to tell all that happened to her as a slave
—all that she knows is 'God's truth' — it would seem to
others, especially the uninitiated, so unaccountable, so un-
reasonable, and what is usually called so unnatural,
(though it may be questioned whether people do not
always act naturally,) they would not easily believe it.
' Why, no !' she says, 'they'd call me a liar ! they would,
mdeed ! and I do not wish to say anything to destroy my
own character for veracity, though what I say is strictly
true.' Some things have been omitted through forget-
fulness, which not having been mentioned in their places,
can only be briefly spoken of here ; — such as, that her
father Bomefree had had two wives before he took Mau
mau Bett ; one of whom, if not both, were torn from him
by the iron hand of the ruthless traflicker in human flesh ;
— that her husband, Thomas, after one of his wives had
been sold away from him, ran away to New York City,
where he remained a year or two, before he was dis-
covered and taken back to the prison-house of slavery ;
— that her master Dumont, when he promised Isabella
one year of her time, before the State should make her
free, made the same promise to her husband, and in ad-
dition to freedom, they were promised a log cabin for a
home of their own ; all of which, with the one-thousand-
and-one day-dreams resulting therefrom, went into the re-
pository of unfulfilled promises and unrealized hopes ; —
that she had often heard her father repeat a thrilling
story of a little slave-child, which, because it annoyed
the family with its cries, was caught up by a white man,

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 83

who dashed its brains out against the wall. An Indian
(for Indians were plenty in that region then) passed along
as the bereaved mother washed the bloody corpse of her
murdered child, and learning the cause of its death, said,
with characteristic vehemence, 'If I had been here, I
would have put my tomahawk in his head ! ' meaning the
murderer's.

Of the cruelty of one Hasbrouck. — He had a sick slave-
woman, who was lingering with a slow consumption,
whom he made to spin, regardless of her weakness and
suffering ; and this woman had a child, that was unable to
walk or talk, at the age of five years, neither could it cry
like other children, but made a constant, piteous, moan-
ing sound. This exhibition of helplessness and imbecil-
ity, instead of excithig the master's pity, stung his cupid-
ity, and so eni'aged him, that he would kick the poor
thing about like a foot-ball.

Isabella's informant had seen this brute of a man, when
the child was curled up under a chair, innocently amusing
itself with a few sticks, drag it thence, that he might have
the pleasure of tormenting it. She had seen him, with one
blow of his foot, send it rolling quite across the room, and
down the steps at the door. Oh, how she wished it might
instantly die ! ' But,' she said, ' it seemed as tough as a
moccasin.' Though it did die at last, and made glad the
heart of its friends ; and its persecutor, no doubt, rejoiced
with them, but from very difterent motives. But the day
of his retribution was not far off^ — for he sickened, and his
reason fled. It was feai'ful to hear his old slave soon tell
how, in the day of his calamity, she treated hirn.

She was very strong, and was therefore selected to sup-
port her master, as he sat up in bed, by putting her arms
around, while she stood behmd him. It was then that she

84 NARRATIVE OF

did her best to wreak her vengeance on him. She would
clutch his feeble frame in her iron grasp, as in a vice ;
and, when her mistress did not see, would give him a
squeeze, a shake, and lifting him up, set him down again,
as hard as possible. If his breathing betrayed too tight a
grasp, and her mistress said, ' Be careful, don't hurt him,
Soan !' her ever-ready answer was, ' Oh no, Missus, no,'
in her most pleasant tone — and then, as soon as Missus's
eyes and ears were engaged away, another grasp — another
shake — another bounce. She was afraid the disease alone
would let him recover, — an event she dreaded more than
to do wrong herself Isabella asked her, if she were not
afraid his spirit would haunt her. ' Oh, no,' says Soan ;
' he was so wicked, the devil will never let him out of hell
long enough for that.'

Many slaveholders boast of the love of their slaves.
How would it freeze the blood of some of them to know
what kind of love rankles in the bosoms of slaves for
them ! Witness the attempt to poison Mrs. Calhoun, and
hundreds of similar cases. Most ' surprising ' to every
body, because committed by slaves supposed to be so
grateful for their chains.

These reflections bring to mind a discussion on this
point, between the writer and a slaveholding friend in
Kentucky, on Christmas morning, 1846. We had as-
serted, that until mankind were far in advance of what
they now are, irresponsible power over our fellow-beings
would be, as it is, abused. Our friend declared it his
conviction, that the cruelties of slavery existed chiefly in

imagination, and that no person in D County, where we

then were, but would be above ill-treating a helpless slave.
We answered, that if his belief was well-founded, the peo-
ple in Kentucky were great! v in advance of the people of

SOJOURN KB TRUTH, 86

New England — for we would not dare say as much as
that of any school-district there, letting alone counties.
No, we would not answer for our own conduct even on so
delicate a point.

The next evening, he very magnanimously overthrew
his own position and established ours, by informing us
that, on the morning previous, and as near as we could
learn, at the very hour in which we were earnestly dis-
cussing the probabilities of the case, a young woman of
fine appearance, and high standing in society, the pride of
her husband, and the mother of an infant daughter, only

a few miles from us, ay, in D County, too, was

actually beating in the skull of a slave-woman called
Tabby ; and not content with that, had her tied up and
whipped, after her skull was broken, and she died hanging
to the bedstead, to which she had been fastened. When
informed that Tabby was dead, she answered, ' I am glad
of it, for she has worried my life out of me.' But Tab-
by's highest good was probably not the end proposed by

Mrs. M , for no one supposed she meant to kill her.

Tabby was considered quite lacking in good sense, and no
doubt belonged to that class at the South, that are silly
enough to 'die of moderate correction.'

A mob collected around the house for an hour or two,
in that manner expressing a momentary indignation. But
was she treated as a murderess ? Not at all ! She was
allowed to take boat (for her residence was near the beau-
tiful Ohio) that evening, to spend a few months with her
absent friends, after which she returned and remained
with her husband, no one to ' molest or make her afraid.'

Had she been left to the punishment of an outraged con-
science from right motives, I would have ' rejoiced with
exceeding joy.' But to see the life of one woman, and she

86 NARRATIVE OF

a murderess, put in the balance against the lives of three
millions of innocent slaves, and to contrast her punish-
ment with what I felt would be the punishment of one
who was merely suspected of being an equal fi-iend of all
mankind, regardless of color or condition, caused my
blood to stir within me, and my hea,rt to sicken at the

thought. The husband of Mrs. M was absent from

home, at the time alluded to ; and when he arrived, some
weeks afterwards, bringing beautiful presents to his cher-
ished companion, he beheld his once happy home deserted.
Tabby murdered and buried in the garden, and the wife
of his bosom, and the mother of his child, the doer of the
dreadful deed, a murderess !

When Isabella went to New York city, she went in
company with a Miss Grear, who introduced her to the
family of Mr. James Latourette, a wealthy merchant, and
a Methodist in religion ; but who, the latter part of his
life, felt that he had outgrown ordinances, and advocated
free meetings, holding them at his own dwelling-house for
several years previous to his death. She worked for
them, and they generously gave her a home while she
labored for others, and in their kindness made her as one
of their own.

At that time, the 'moral reform' movement was
awakening the attention of the benevolent in that city.
Many women, among whom were Mrs. Latourette and
Miss Grear, became deeply interested in making an at-
tempt to reform their fallen sisters, even the most de-
graded of them ; and in this enterprise of labor and dan-
ger, they enlisted Isabella and others, who for a time put
forth their most zealous efforts, and performed the work
of missionaries with much apparent success. Isabella
accompanied those ladies to the most wretched abodes of

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 87

vice and misery, and sometimes she went where they
dared not follow. They even succeeded in eatablishing
prayer-meetings in several places, where such a thing
might least have been expected.

But these meetings soon became the most noisy, shouting,
ranting, and boisterous of gatherings; where they became
delirious with excitement, and then exhausted from over-
action. Such meetings Isabel had not much sympathy
with, at best. But one evenmg she attended one of them,
where the members of it, in a fit of ecstasy, jumped upon
her cloak in such a manner as to drag her to the floor —
and then, thinking she had fallen in a spiritual trance, they
increased their glorifications on her account, — jumping,
shoutmg, stamping, and clapping of hands ; rejoicing so
much over her spirit, and so entirely overlooking her body,
that she suffered much, both from fear and bruises ; and
ever after refused to attend any more such meetings, doubt-
ing much whether God had any thing to do with such
worsliip.

THE MATTHIAS DELUSION.

We now come to an eventfiil period in the life of Isar
bella, as identified with one of the most extraordinary re-
ligious delusions of modern times; but the limits pre-
scribed for the present work forbid a minute narration of
all the occurrences that transpired in relation to it.

•After she had joined the African Church in Church
street, and during her membership there, she frequently
attended Mr. Latourette's meetings, at one of which, Mr.
Smith mvited her to go to a prayer-meeting, or to instruct
the girls at the Magdalene Asylum, Bowery Hill, then un-
der the protection of Mr, Pierson, and some othei- persons,

88 NARRATIVE OF

chiefly respectable females. To reach the Asylum, Isa-
bella called on Katy, Mr. Pierson's colored servant, of
whom she had some knowledge. Mr. PiBrson saw her
there, conversed with her, asked her if she had been bap-
tized, and was answered, characteristically, ' by the Holy
Ghost.' After this, Isabella saw Katy several times, and
occasionally Mr. Pierson, who engaged her to keep his
house while Katy went to Virginia to see her children.
This engagement was considered an answer to prayer by
Mr. Pierson, who had both fasted and prayed on the sub-
ject, while Katy and Isabella appeared to see in it the
hand of God.

Mr. Pierson was characterized by a strong devotional
spirit, which finally became highly fanatical. He assumed
the title of Prophet, asserting that God had called him in
an omnibus, in these words : — ' Thou art Elijah, the Tish-
bite. Gather unto me all the members of Israel at the
foot of Mount Carmel' ; which he understood as meaning
the gathering of his friends at Bowery Hill. Not long
afterward, he became acquainted with the notorious Mat-
thias, whose career was as extraordinary as it was brief.
Robert Matthews, or Matthias, (as he was usually called,)
was of Scotch extraction, but a native of Washington
county, New York, and at that time about forty-seven yean^
of age. He was religiously brought up, among the Anti-
Burghers, a sect of Presbyterians ; the clergyman, the Rev.
Mr. Bevridge, visiting the family after the manner of the
church, and being pleased with Robert, put his hand on
his head, when a boy, and pronounced a blessing, and this
blessing, with his natural qualities, determined his charac
ter ; for he ever after thought he should be a distinguished
man. Matthias was brought up a farmer till nearly eigh-
teen years of age, but acquired indirectly the art of a car-

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 89

penter, without any regular apprenticeship, and showed
considerable mechanical skill. He obtained property from
his uncle, Robert Thompson, and then he went into busi-
ness as a store-keeper, was considered respectable, and
became a member of the Scotch Presbyterian Church. He
married in 1813, and continued in business in Cambridge.
In 1816, he ruined himself by a building speculation, and
the derangement of the currency which denied bank facili-
ties, and soon after he came to New York with his family,
and worked at his trade. He afterwards removed to Al-
bany, and became a hearer at the Dutch Reformed Church,
then under Dr. Ludlow's charge. He was frequently much
excited on religious subjects.

In 1829, he was well known, if not for street preachuag,
for loud discussions and pavement exhortations, but he
did not make set sermons. In the begmning of 1830, he
was only considered zealous ; but in the same year he
prophesied the destruction of the Albanians and their
capital, and while preparing to shave, with the Bible be-
fore him, he suddenly put down the soap and exclaimed,
' I have found it ! I have found a text which proves that
no man who shaves his beard can be a true Chiistian ; '
and shortly afterwards, without shaving, he went to the
Mission House to deliver an address which he had prom-
ised, and in this address he proclaimed his new character,
pronounced vengeance on the land, and that the law of
God was the only rule of government, and that he was
commanded to take possession of the world in the name
of the King of kings. His harangue was cut short by the
trustees putting out the lights. About this time, Mat-
thias laid by his implements of industry, and in June, he
advised his wife to fly with him from the destruction
which awaited them in the city ; and on her reftisal,

90 NAKRATIVE OF

partly on account of Matthias calling himself a Jew,
whom she was unwilling to retain as a husband, he left
her, taking some of the children to his sister in Argyle»
forty miles from Albany. At Argyle he entered the
church and interrupted the minister, declaring the con-
gregation in darkness, and warning them to repentance.
He was, of course, taken out of the church, and as he was
advertised in the Albany papers, he was sent back to his
family. His beard had now obtained a respectable
length, and thus he attracted attention, and easily ob-
tained an audience in the streets. For this he was some-
times arrested, once by mistake for Adam Paine, who
collected the crowd, and then left Matthias with it on the
approach of the officers. He repeatedly urged his wife
to accompany him on a mission to convert the world, de-
clarmg that food could be obtained from the roots of the
forest, if not administered otherwise. At this time he
assumed the name of Mattliias, called himself a Jew, and
set ^ut on a mission, taking a western course, and visit-
ing a brother at Rochester, a skilful mechanic, since dead.
Leaving his brother, he proceeded on his mission over
the Northern States, occasionally returning to Albany.

After visiting Washington, and passing through Penn-
sylvania, he came to New York. His appearance at that
time was mean, but grotesque, and his sentiments were
but little known.

On May the 5th, 1832, he first called on Mr. Pierson,
in Fourth street, in his absence. Isabella was alone in
the house, in which she had lived since the previous au-
tumn. On opening the door, she, for the first time, be-
held Matthias, and her early impression of seeing Jesus
in the flesh rushed into her mind. She heard his inquii-y,
and invited him into the parlor; and being naturally cu-

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 91

rious, and much excited, and possessing a good deal of
tact, she drew him into conversation, stated her own
opinions, and heard his replies and explanations. Her
faith was at first staggered by his declaring himself a
Jew ; but on this point she was relieved by his saying,
' Do you not remember how Jesus prayed ? ' and re-
peated part of the Lord's prayer, in proof that the
Father's kingdom was to come, and not the Son's. She
then understood him to be a converted Jew, and in the
conclusion she says she ^felt as if God had sent him to
set up the kingdom.' Thus Matthias at once secured the
good will of Isabella, and we may suppose obtained from
her some information in relation to Mr. Pierson, espe-
cially that Mrs. Pierson declared there was no true
church, and approved of Mr. Pierson's preaching. Mat-
thias left the house, promising to return on Saturday
evening. Mr. P. at this time had not seen Matthias.

Isabella, desirous of hearing the expected conversation
between Matthias and Mr. Pierson on Saturday, hurried
her work, got it finished, and was permitted to be present.
Indeed, the sameness of belief made her familiar with
her employer, while her attention to her work, and char
racteristic faithfulness, increased his confidence. This in-
timacy, the result of holding the same faith, and the
principle afterwards adopted of having but one table, and
all things in common, made her at once the domestic and
the equal, and the depositary of very curious, if not valua
ble information. To this object, even her color assisted.
Persons who have travelled in the South know the man-
ner in which the colored people, and especially slaves,
are treated ; they are scarcely regarded as being present.
This trait in our American character has been frequently
noticed by foreign travellers. One English lady remarks

92 NAKRATIVE OF

that she discovered, in course of conversation with a
Southern married gentleman, that a colored girl slept in
his ])edroom, in which also was his wife ; and when he
saw that it occasioned some surprise, he remarked,
' What would he do if he wanted a glass of water in the
night 1 ' Other travellers have remarked that the presence
of colored people never seemed to interrupt conversation
of any kind for one moment. Isabella, then, was present
at the first interview between Matthias and Pierson. At
this interview, Mr. Pierson asked Matthias if he had a
family, to which he replied in the affirmative ; he asked
him about his beard^ and he gave a scriptural reason, as-
serting also that the Jews did not shave, and that Adam
had a beard. Mr. Pierson detailed to Matthias his ex-
perience, and Matthias gave his, and they mutually dis-
covered that they held the same sentiments, both admit-
ting the direct influence of the Spirit, and the transmission
of spirits from one body to another. Matthias admitted
the call Of Mr. Pierson, in the omnibus in Wall street,
which, on this occasion, he gave in these words : — ' Thou
art Elijah the Tishbite, and thou shalt go before me in
the spirit and power of Elias, to prepare my way before
me.' And Mr. Pierson admitted Matthias' call, who
completed his declaration on the 20th of June, in Argyle,
which, by a curious coincidence, was the very day on
which Pierson had received his call in the omnibus.
Such singular coincidences have a powerful effect on ex~
cited minds. From that discovery, Pierson and Matthias
rejoiced in each other, and became kindred spirits — Mat-
thias, however, claiming to be the Father, or to possess
the spirit of the Father — he was God upon earth, because
the spirit of God dwelt in him ; while Pierson then un-
derstood that his mission was like that of Jolm the Bap-

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 93

tist, which the name Elias meant. This conference ended
with an invitation to supper, and Matthias and Pierson
washing each other's feet. Mr. Pierson preached on the
following Sunday, but after which, he declined in favor of
Matthias, and some of the party believed that the 'king-
dom had then come.'

As a specimen of Matthias' preaching and sentiments,
the following is said to be reliable :

' The spirit that built the Tower of Babel is now in the
world — it is the spirit of the devil. The spirit of man
never goes upon the clouds; all who think so are Babylo-
nians. The only heaven is on the earth. All who are
ignorant of truth are Ninevites. The Jews did not cru-
cify Christ — it was the Gentiles. Every Jew has his
guardian angel attending him in this world. God don't
speak through preachers ; he speaks through me, his
prophet.

'"John the Baptist," (addressing Mr. Pierson,) "read
the tenth chapter of Revelations." After the reading of
the chapter, the prophet resumed speaking, as follows : —

' Ours is the mustard-seed kingdom which is to spread
all over the earth. Our creed is truth, and no man can
find truth unless he obeys Jorui the Baptist, and comes
clean into the church.

' AM real men will be saved ; all mock men will be
damned. When a person has the Holy Ghost, then he is
a man, and not till then. They who teach women are of
the. wicked. The communion is all nonsense; so is
prayer. Eating a nip of bread and drinking a little wine
won't do any good. All who admit members into their
church, and suffer them to hold their lands and houses,
their sentence is, "Depart, ye wicked, I know you not."
All females who lecture their husbands, their sentence is

94 NARRATIVE OF

the same. Tlie sons of truth are to enjoy all the good
things of this world, and must use their means to bring
it about. Every thing that has the smell of woman will
be destroyed. Woman is the capsheaf of the abomina-
tion of desolation — full of all deviltry. In a short time,
the world will take fire and dissolve ; it is combustible
already. All women,. not obedient, had better become
so as soon as possible, and let the wicked spirit depart,
and become temples of truth. Praying is all mocking.
When you see any one wring the neck of a fowl, instead
of cutting off its head, he has not got the Holy Ghost.
(Cutting gives the least pain.)

' All who eat swine's flesh are of the devil ; and just as
certain as he eats it, he will tell a He in less than half an
hour. If you eat a piece of pork, it will go crooked
through you, and the Holy Ghost will not stay in you,
but one or the other must leave the house pretty soon.
The pork will be as crooked in you as rams' horns, and
as great a nuisance as the hogs in the street.

' The cholera is not the right word ; it is choler, which
means God's wrath. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are now
in this world ; they did not go up in the clouds, as some
believe — why should they go there 1 They don't want to
go there to box the compass from one place to another.
The Christians now-a-days are for setting up the Son's
kingdom. It is not his ; it is the Father's kingdom. It
puts me in mind of the man in the country, who took his
son in business, and had his sign made, " Hitchcock &
Son ;" but the son wanted it " Hitchcock & Father " — and
that is the way with your Christians. They talk of the
Son's kingdom fii'st, and not the Father's kingdom.'

Matthias and his disciples at this time did not believe
in a resurrection of the body, but that the spirits of the

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 95

former saints would enter the bodies of the present gen-
eration, and thus begin heaven upon earth, of which he and
Mr. Pierson were the first fruits.

Matthias made the residence of Mr. Pierson his own ;
but the latter^ being apprehensive of popular violence in
his house, if Matthias remained there, proposed a monthly
allowance to him, and advised him to occupy another
dwelling. Matthias accordingly took a house in Clark-
son street, and then sent for his family at Albany, but
they declined coming to the city. However, his bro-
ther George complied with a similar oflfer, bringing his
family with him, where they found very comfortable
quarters. Isabella was employed to do the housework.
In May,1833, Matthias left his house, and placed the fur-
niture, part of which was Isabella's, elsewhere, living him-
self at the hotel corner of Marketfield and West streets.
Isabella found employment at Mr, Whiting's, Canal
street, and did the washing for Matthias by Mrs, Whit-
ing's permission.

Of the subsequent removal of Matthias to the farm and
residence of Mr, B. Folger, at Sing Sing, where he was
joined by Mr. Pierson, and others laboring under a simi-
lar religious delusion — the sudden, melancholy and
somewhat suspicious death of Mr, Pierson, and the arrest
of Matthias on the charge of his murder, ending in a
verdict of not guilty — the cruninal connection that sub-
sisted between Matthias, Mrs, Folger, and other mem-
bes.of the ' Kingdom,' as ' match-spirits '—the final dis-
person of this deluded company, and the voluntary
exilement of Matthias in the far West, after his release—
&c. (fee, we do not deem it useful or necessary to give
any particulars. Those who are curious to know what
there transpired are referred to a work published in New

96 NAKKATlVJli OF

York in 1835, entitled ' Fanaticism ; its Sources and In-
fluence ; illustrated by the simple Narrative of Isabella,
in the case of Matthias, Mr. and Mrs. B. Folger, Mr.
Pierson, Mr. Mills, Catharine, Isabella, &c. &c. By
G. Vale, 84 Roosevelt street.' Suffice it to say, that
while Isabella was a member of the household at Sing
Sing, doing much laborious service in the spirit of religi-
ous disinterestedness, and gradually getting her vision
purged and her mind cured of its illusions, she happily
escaped the contamination that surrounded her, — assid
uously endeavoring to discharge all her duties in a be-
coming manner.

FASTING.

When Isabella resided with Mr. Pierson, he was in the
habit of fasting every Friday ; not eating or drinking
anything from Thursday evening to six o'clock on Friday
evening.

Then, again, he would fast two nights and three days,
neither eating nor drinking ; refusing himself even a cup
of cold water till the third day at night, when he took
supper again, as usual.

Isabella asked him why he fasted. He answered, that
fasting gave him great light in the things of God ; which
answer gave birth to the following train of thought in
the mind of his auditor: — ' Well, if fasting will give light
inwardly and spiritually, I need it as much as any body,
— and I'll fast too. If Mr. Pierson needs to fast two
nights and three days, then 1, who need light more than
he does, ought to fast more, and I will fast three nights
and three days. '

This resolution she carried out to the letter, putting

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 97

not so much as a dJ-op of water in her mouth for
three whole days and nights. The fourth morning, as she
arose to her feet, not having power to stand, she fell to
the floor; but recovering herself sufficiently, she made
her way to the pantry, and feeling herself quite voracious,
and fearing that she might now offend God by her vora-
city, compelled herself to breakfast on dry bread and water
— eating a large six-penny loaf before she felt at all stay-
ed or satisfied. She says she did get light, but it was all
in her body and none in her mind — and this lightness of
body lasted a long time. Oh ! she was so light, and felt so
well, she could ' skim around like a gull. '

THE CAUSE OF HER LEAVING THE CITY.

The first years spent by Isabella in the city, she accu-
mulated more than enough to supply all her wants, and
she placed all the overplus in the Savings' Bank. After-
wards, while living with Mr. Pierson, he prevailed on her
to take it thence, and invest it in a common fund which
he was about establishing, as a fiind to be drawn from by
all the faithful; the faithful, of course, were the handful
that should subscribe to his peculiar creed. This fiind,
commenced by Mr. Pierson, afterwards became part and
parcel of the kingdom of which Matthias assumed to be
head ; and at the breaking up of the kingdom, her little
property was merged in the general ruin — or went to eii-
rich those who profited by the loss of others, if any such
there were. Mr. Pierson and others had so assured her,
that the fund would supply all her wants, at all times,
and in all emergencies, and to the end of life, that she
became perfectly careless on the subject — asking for no
interest when she drew her money from the bank, and
7

98 ■ NARRATIVE OF

taking no account of the sum she placed in the fiind
She recovered a few articles of furniture from the wreck
of the kingdom, and received a small sum of money
from Mr. B. Folger, as the price of Mrs. Folger's attempt
to convict her of murder. With this to start upon, she
commenced anew her labors, in the hope of yet being
able to accumulate a sufficiency to make a little home
for herself, in her advancing age. With this stimulus
before her, she toiled hard, working early and late, doing
a great deal for a little money, and turning her hand to
almost any thing that promised good pay. Still, she did
not prosper ; and somehow, could not contrive to lay by
a smgle dollar for a ' rainy day.'

When this had been the state of her affairs some time,
she suddenly paused, and taking a retrospective view of
what had passed, inquired within herself, why it was that,
for all her unwearied labors, she had nothing to show ;
why it was that others, with much less care and labor,
could hoard up treasures for themselves and children 1
She became more and more convinced, as she reasoned,
that every thing she had undertaken in the city of New York
had finally proved a failure ; and where ner hopes had
been raised the highest, there she felt the failure had been
the greatest, and the disappointment most severe.

After turning it in her mind for some time, she came
to the conclusion, that she had been taking part in a great
drama, which was, in itself, but one great system of rob-
bery and wrong. . ' Yes,' she said, ' the rich rob the poor,
and the poor rob one anothei-.' True, she had not receiv-
ed labor from others, and stinted their pay, as she fell
had been practised against her ; but she had taken their
work from them, which was their only' means to get
money, and was the same to them in the end. For in

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 99

stance — agent leinan where she lived wouid give her a
half dollar to hire a poor man to clear the new-fallen
snow from the steps and side-walks. She would arise
early, and oerform the labor herself, putting the money
into her own pocket. A poor man would come along,
saying she ought to have let him have the job ; he was
poor, and needed the pay for his family. She would har-
den her heart against him, and answer — ' I am poor too,
and I need it for mine.' But, in her retrospection, she
thought of all the misery she might have been adding to,
in her selfish grasping, and it troubled her conscience
sorely ; and this insensibility to the claims of human
brotherhood, and the wants of the destitute and wretched
poor, she now saw, as she never had done before, to be
unfeeling, selfish and wicked. These reflections and con-
victions gave rise to a sudden revulsion of feeling ui the
heart of Isabella, and she began to look upon money and
property with great indifference, if not contempt — being
at that time unable, probably, to discern any difference
between a miserly grasping at and hoarding of money
and means, and a true use of the good thuigs of this life
for one's own comfort, and the relief of such as she
might be enabled to befriend and assist. One tiling she
was sure of — that the precepts, ' Do unto others as ye
would that others should do unto you,' ' Love your ne^h-
bor as yourself,' and so forth, were maxims that had
been but little thought of by herself, or practised by
those about her.

Her next decision was, that she must leave the city ;
it was no place for her ; yea, she felt called m spirit to
leave it, and to travel east and lecture. She had never
been further east than the city, neither had she any friends
there of whom she had particular reason to expect any

100 NARRATIVE OF

thing; yet to her i^, was plain lhf»(. her m5ssion lay in tho
east, and that she would nnd li-iends there. She deter-
mined on leaving ; but these determinations and convic-
tions she kept close locked in her own breast, hnowing
that if her children and friends were aware of it, they would
make such an ado about it as would render it very un-
pleasant, if not distressing to all parties. Having made
what preparations for leavmg she deemed necessary, —
which was, to put up a few articles of clothing in a pil-
low-case, all else being deemed an unnecessary incum-
brance,— about an hour before she left, she infonnedMrs.
Whiting, the woman of the house where she was stopping,
that her name was no longer Isabella, but Sojourner ;
and that she was going east. And to her inquiry, 'What
are you going east for?' her answer was, ' The Spirit calls
me there, and I must go.'

She left the city on the morning of the 1st of June,
1843, crossing over to Brooklyn, L. I. ; and takmg the
rising sun for her only compass and guide, she ' remem-
bered Lot's wife,' and hoping to avoid her fate, she re-
solved not to look back till she felt sure the wicked city
from which she was fleeing was left too far behind to be visi-
ble in the distance ; and when she first ventured to look
back, she could just discern the blue cloud of smoke that
hung over it, and she thanked the Lord that she was thus
far removed from what seemed to her a second Sodom.

She was now fairly started on her pilgrimage ; her
bundle in one hand, and a little basket of provisions in
the other, and two York shillings in her purse — her heart
strong in the faith that her true work lay before her, and
that the Lord was her director ; and she doubted not he
would provide for and protect her, and that it would be
very censurable in her to burden herself with any thing

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 101

more than a moderate supply for her then present needs.
Her mission was not merely to travel east, but to ' lec-
ture,' as she designated it ; ' testifying of the hope that
was in her' — exhorting the people to embrace Jesus, and
refi-am from sin, the nature and origin of which she ex-
plained to them in accordance with her own most curious
and original views. Tlirough her life, and all its chequer-
ed changes, she has ever clung fast to her first permanent
impressions on religious subjects.

Wherever night overtook her, there she sought foi
lodgings — free, if she might — if not, she paid ; at a
tavern, if she chanced to be at one — if not, at a private
dwelling ; with the rich, if they would receive her — if not,
with the poor.

But she soon discovered that the largest houses were
nearly always full ; if not quite full, company was soon
expected ; and that it was much easier to find an unoc-
cupied corner in a small house than in a large one ; and
if a person possessed but a miserable roof over his head,
you might be sure of a welcome to part of it.

But this, she had penetration enough to see, was quite
as much the effect of a want of sympathy as of benevo-
lence ; and this was also very apparent m her religious
conversations with people who were strangers to her. She
said, ' she never could find out that the rich had any re-
ligion. If /had been rich and accomplished, I could ; for
the rich could always find religion in the rich, and / could
find it among the poor.'

At first, she attended such meetings as she heard of, in
the vicinity of her travels, and spoke to the people as she
found them assembled. Afterwards, she advertised meet-
ings of her own, and held forth to large audiences, hav-
ing, as she said, ' a good time.'

102 NARRATIVE OF

When she became weary of travelling, and wished a
pla<je to stop a while and rest herself, she said some open-
ing for her was always near at hand ; and the first time
she needed rest, a man accosted her as she was walking,
inquiring if she was looking for work. She told him that
was not the object of her travels, but that she would will-
ingly work a few days, if any one wanted. He requested
her to go to his family, who were sadly in want of assist-
ance, which he had been thus far unable to supply. She
went to the house where she was directed, and was re-
ceived by his family, one of whom was ill, as a ' God-
send ;' and when she felt constrained to resume her jour-
ney, they were very sorry, and would fain have detained
her longer ; but as she urged the necessity of leaving,
they offered her what seemed in her eyes a great deal of
money as a remuneration for her labor, and an expression
of their gratitude for her opportune assistance ; but she
would only receive a very little of it ; enough, as she
says, to enable her to pay tribute to Caesar, if it was de-
manded of her ; and two or three York shillings at a time
were all she allowed herself to take ; and then, with purse
replenished, and strength renewed, she would once more
set out to perform her mission.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF REFUSING A TRAVELLER A
night's LODGING.

As she drew near the centre of the Island, she com-
menced, one evening at nightfall, to solicit the favor of a
night's lodging. She had repeated her request a great
many, it seomed to her some twenty times, and as many
times she received a negative answer. She walked on,
the stars and the tiny horns oi ihe new moon shed but a

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 103

dim light on her lonely way, when she was familiarly ac-
costed b} two Indians, who took her for an acquaintance.
She told them they were mistaken in the person ; she
was a stranger there, and asked them the direction to a
tavern. They informed her it was yet a long way — some
two miles or so ; and inquired if she were alone. Not
wishing for their protection, or knowing what might be
the character of their kindness, she answered, ' No, not
exactly,' and passed on. At the end of a weary way, she
came to the tavern, — or, rather, to a large building, which
was occupied as court-house, tavern, and jail, — and on
asking for a night's lodging, was informed she could stay,
if she would consent to be locked in. This to her mind
was an insuperable objection. To have a key turned on
her was a thing not to be thought of, at least not to be
endured, and she again took up her line of march, prefer-
ring to walk beneath the open sky, to being locked up by
a stranger in such a place. She had not walked far, be-
fore she heard the voice of a woman under an open shed ;
she ventured to accost her, and inquired if she knew
where she could get in for the night. The woman an-
swered, that she did not, unless she went home with them ;
and turning to her ' good man,' asked him if the stranger
could not share their home for the night, to which he
cheerfully assented. Sojourner thought it evident he had
been taking a drop too much, but as he was civil and
good-natured, and she did not feel mclined to spend the
night alone in the open air, she felt driven to the neces-
sity of accepting their hospitality, whatever it might prove
to be. The woman soon informed her that there was a
hall in the place, at which they would like to drop in a
while, before they went to their home.

Balls beuig no part of Sojourner's mission, she was not

104 NARRATIVE OF

desirous of attending ; but her hostess could be satisfied
with nothing short of a taste of it, and she was forced to
go with her, or relinquish their company at once, in which
move there might be more exposure than in accompany-
ing her. She went, and soon found herself surrounded by
an assemblage of people, collected from the very dregs
of society, too ignorant and degraded to understand,
much less entertain, a high or bright idea, — in a dirty
hovel, destitute of every comfort, and where the fumes
of whisky were abundant and powerful.

Sojourner's guide there was too much charmed with
the combined entertainments of the place to be able to
tear herself away, till she found her faculties for enjoy
ment failing her, from a too free use of liquor ; and she
betook herself to bed till she could recover them. So-
journer, seated in a corner, had time for many reflections,
and refrained from lecturing them in obedience to the re-
commendation, ' Cast not your pearls,' &c. When the
night was flir spent, the husband of the sleeping woman
aroused the sleeper, and reminded her that she was not very
polite to the woman she had invited to sleep at her house,
and of the propriety of returning home. They once
more emerged into the pure air, which to our friend So-
journer, after so long breathing the noisome air of the
ball-room, was most refreshing and grateful. Just as day
dawned, they reached the place they called their home.
Sojourner now saw that she had lost nothing in the shape
of rest by remaining so long at the ball, as their miserable
cabin afforded but one bunk or pallet for sleeping ; and
had there been many such, she would have preferred sit-
ting up all night to occupying one like it. Tliey very
politely offered her the bed, if she would use it; but
civilly declining, she waited for morning with an eagernesa

SO.TOJRNER TRUTH. 105

of desire she never felt before on the subject, and was
never more happy than when the eye of day shed its
golden light once more over the earth. She was once
more free, and while day-light should last, independent,
and needed no invitation to pursue her journey. Let
these facts teach us, that every pedestrian in the world is
not a vagabond, and that it is a dangerous thing to com-
pel any one to receive that hospitality from the vicious
and abandoned which they should have received from us,
—as thousands can testify, who have thus been caught in
the snares of the wicked.

The fourth of July, Isabella arrived at Huntingdon ;
from thence she went to Cold Springs, where she found'
the people making preparations for a mass temperance-
meeting. With her usual alacrity, she entered mto their
labors, getting up dishes a la New York, greatly to the
satisfaction of those she assisted. After remaining at Cold
Springs some three weeks, she returned to Huntingdon,
where she took boat for Connecticut. Landing at Bridge-
port, she again resumed her travels towards the north-ea^'st,
lecturing some, and working some, to get wherewith to
pay tribute to Caisar, as she called it; and m this manner
she presently came to the city of New Haven, where she
found many meetings, which she attended— at some of
»vhich, she was allowed to express her views freely, and
Writhout reservation. She also called meetings expressly
to give herself an opportunity to be heard; and found in
the city many true friends of Jesus, as she judged, with
whom she held communion of spirit, having no preference
for one sect more than another, but being well satisfied
with all who gave her evidence of having known or loved
the Saviour.

After thus delivering her testimony in this pleasant city.

106 NARRATIVE OF

feeling she lad not as j et tound an abiding place, slie went
from thence to Bristol, at the request of a zealous sis1;er,
who desired her to go to the latter place, and hoi da religious
conversation with some friends of hers there. She went
as requested, found the people kindly and religiously dis-
posed, and through them she became acquainted with
several very interesting persons.

A spiritually-minded brother in Bristol, becoming inter
ested in her new views and original opinions, requested as
a favor that she would go to Hartford, to see and converse
with friends of his there. Standing ready to perform any
service in the Lord, she went to Hartford as desired, bear-
ing in her hand the following note from this brother : —

' Sister, — I send you this living messenger, as I believe
her to be one that God loves. Ethiopia is stretching forth
her hands unto God. You can see by this sister, that God
does by his Spirit alone teach his own children things to
come. Please receive her, and she will tell you some
new things. Let her tell her story without mterrupting
her, and give close attention, and you will see she has got
the lever of truth, that God helps her to pry where but
few can. She cannot read or write, but the law is in
her heart.

' Send her to brother , brother , and where

she can do the most good.

' From your brother, H. L. B.'

SOME OF HER VIEWS AND REASONINGS.

As soon as Isabella saw God as an all-powerful, all-
pervading spirit, she became desirous of hearing all that
had been written of him, ai d listened to the account of

SOJOUENER TRUTH. 107

the creation of the world and its first inhabitants, as cotr
lained in the first chapters of Genesis, with peculiar in-
terest. For some time she received it all literally, though
it appeared strange to her that ' God worked by the day,
got tired, and stopped to rest,' &c. But after a little time,
she began to reason upon it, thus — ' Why, if God works
by the day, and one day's work tires him, and he is obliged
to rest, either from weariness or on account of darkness,
or if he waited for the "cool of the day to walk in the
garden," liecause he was inconvenienced by the heat of the
sun, why then it seems that God cannot do as much as /
can ; for / can bear the sun at noon, and work several
days and nights in succession without being much tired.
Or, if he rested nights because of the darkness, it is very
queer that he should make the night so dark that he could
not see himself. If / had been God, I would have made
the night light enough for my own convenience, surely.'
But the moment she placed this idea of God by the side
of the impression she had once so suddenly received of
his inconceivable greatness and entire spirituality, that mo-
ment she exclaimed mentally, ' No, God does not stop to
rest, for he is a spirit, and cannot tire ; he cannot want
for light, for he hath all light in himself And if " God is
all in all," and " worketh all in all," as I have heard them
read, then it is impossible he should rest at all ; for if he
did, every other thing would stop and rest too ; the wa-
ters would not flow, and the fishes could not swim ; and
all motion must cease. God could have no pauses in his
work, and he needed no Sabbaths of rest. Man might
need them, and he should take them when he needed them,
whenever he required rest. As it regarded the worship
of God, he was to be worshipped at all times and in all

108 NARRATIVE OF

places ; and one portion of time never seemed to her
more holy than another.'

These views, which were the result of the workings of
her own mind, assisted solely by the light of her own ex-
perience and very limited knowledge, were, for a long
time after their adoption, closely locked in her own breast,
fearing lest their avowal might bring upon her the impu-
tation of ' infidelity,' — the usual charge preferred by all
religionists, against those who entertain religious views
and feelings differing materially from their own. If, from
their own sad experience, they are withheld from shout-
ing the cry of ' infidel,' they fail not to see and to feel, ay,
and to say, that the dissenters are not of the right spirit,
and that their spiritual eyes have never been unsealed.

While travelling in Connecticut, she met a minister,
with whom she held a long discussion on these points, as
well as on various other topics, such as the origin of all
things, especially the origin of evil, at the same time bear-
ing her testimony strongly against a paid ministry. He
belonged to that class, and, as a matter of course, as
strongly advocated his own side of the question.

I had forgotten to mention, in its proper place, a very
important fact, that when she was examining the Scrip-
tures, she wished to hear them without comment ; but if
she employed adult persons to read them to her, and she
asked them to read a passage over again, they invariably
commenced to explain, by giving her their version of it ;
and in this way, they tried her feelings exceedingly. In
consequence of this, she ceased to ask adult persons to
read the Bible to her, and substituted children in their
stead. Children, as soon as they could read distinctly,
would re-read the same sentence to her, as often as she

SOJOURNER TRUTH, 109

wished, and without comment ; and in that way she was
enabled to see what her own mind could make out of the
record, and that, she said, was what she wanted, and not
what others thought it to mean. She wished to compare
the teachings of the Bible with the witness within her ; and
she came to the conclusion, that the spirit of truth spoke
in those records, l3ut that the recorders of those truths had
intermingled with them ideas and suppositions of their
own. This is one among the many proofs of her energy
and independence of character.

When it became known to her children, that Sojourner
had left New York, they wei"e filled with wonder and
alarm. Where could she have gone, and why had she
left ? were questions no one could answer satisfactorily.
Now, their imaginations painted her as a wandering
maniac — and again they feared she had been left to com-
mit suicide ; and many were the tears they shed at the
loss of her.

But when she reached Berlin, Conn., she wrote to them
by amanuensis, informing them of her whereabouts, and
waiting an answer to her letter ; thus quieting their fears,
and gladdening their hearts once more with assurances
of her continued life and her love.

THE SECOND ADVENT DOCTRINES,

In Hartford and vicmity, she met with several persons
who believed in the ' Second Advent ' doctrines ; or, the
immediate personal appearance of Jesus Christ. At
first she thought she had never heard of ' Second Advent.'
But when it was explained to her, she recollected having
once attended Mr. Miller's meeting in New York, where
she saw a great many enigmatical pictures hanging on

110 NARRATIVE OF

the wall, which she could not understand, and which,
being out of the reach of her understanding, failed to
interest her. In this section of country, she attended
two camp-meetings of the believers in these doctrines —
the ' second advent ' excitement being then at its greatest
height. The last meeting was at Windsor Lock. The
people, as a matter of course, eagerly inquired of her
concerning her belief, as it regarded their most important
tenet. She told them it had not been revealed to her ;
perhaps, if she could read, she might see it differently.
Sometimes, to their eager inquiry, ' Oh, don't you believe
the Lord is coming V she answered, ' I believe the Lord
is as near as he can be, and not be it.' With these eva-
sive and non-exciting answers, she kept their minds calm
as it respected her unbelief, till she could have an oppor-
tunity to hear their views fairly stated, in order to judge
more understandingly of this mattei*, and see if, in her
estimation, there was any good ground for expecting an
event which was, in the minds of so many, as it were,
shaking the very foundations of the universe. She was
invited to join them in their religious exercises, and ac-
cepted the invitation — praying, and talking in her own
peculiar style, and attracting many about her by her
singing.

When she had convinced the people that she was a
lover of God and his cause, and had gained a good stand-
ing with them, so that she could get a hearing among
them, she had become quite sure in her own mind that
they were laboring under a delusion, and she commenced
to use her influence to calm the fears of the people, and
pour oil upon the troubled waters. In one part of the
grounds, she found a knot of people greatly excited : she
mounted a stump and called out, ' Hear ! hear !' When

SOJOURNER TRUTH. HI

the people had gathered around her, as they were in a
state to listen to any thing new, she addressed them as
' children,' and asked them why they made such a ' To-do ;
— are you not commanded to " watch and pray f You
are neither watching nor praying.' And she bade them,
with the tones of a kind mother, retire to their tents, and
there watch and pray, without noise or tumult, for the
Lord would not come to such a scene of confusion ; ' the
Lord came still and quiet.' She assured them, ' the Lord
might come, move all thi-ough the camp, and go away
again, and they never know it,' in the state they then
were.

They seemed glad to seize upon any reason for being
less agitated and distressed, and many of them suppress-
ed their noisy terror, and retired to their tents to ' watch
and pray;' begging others to do the same, and listen to
the advice of the good sister. She felt she had done
some good, and then went to listen further to the preach-
ers. They appeared to her to be doing their utmost to
agitate and excite the people, who were already too much
excited; and when she had listened till her feelings
would let her listen silently no longer, she arose and ad-
dressed the preachers. The following are specimens of
her speech : —

' Here you are talking about being " changed in the
twinkling of an eye. " If the Lord should come, he'd
change you to nothing ! for there is nothing to you.

- ' You seem to be expecting to go to some parlor away
up somewhere, and when the A\icked have been burnt,
you are coming back to walk in triumph over their
ashes — this is to be your New Jerusalem ! ! Now / can't
see any thing so very nice in that, coming back to such
a muss as that will be, a world covered with the ashes

112 NARRATIVE OF

of the wicked ! Besides, if the Lord comes and bums —
ds you say he will- -I am not going away ; /am going
to stay here and stand the fire, like Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego ! And Jesus will walk with me through
the fire, and keej) me from harm. Nothing belonging to
God can burn, any more than God himself; such shall
have no need to go away to escape the fire ! No, / shall
remain. Do you tell me that God's children canH stand
fire ? ' And her manner and tone spoke louder than
words, saying, ' It is absurd to think so ! '

The ministers were taken quite aback at so unexpected
an opposer, and one of them, in the kindest possible man-
ner, commenced a discussion with her, by asking her
questions, and quoting scripture to her ; concluding
finally, that although she had learned nothing of the great
doctrine which was so exclusively occupying their minds
at the time, she had learned much that man had never
taught her.

At this meeting, she received the address of different
persons, residing in various places, with an invitation to
visit them. She promised to go soon to Cabotville,
and started, shaping her course for that place. She ar-
rived at Springfield one evening at six o'clock, and im-
mediately began to search for a lodging for the night.
She walked from six till past nine, and was then on the
road from Springfield to Cabotville, before she found any
one sufficiently hospitable to give her a night's shelter
under their roof Then a man gave her twenty-five
cents, and bade her go to a tavern and stay all night.
She did so, returning in the morning to thank him, assur-
ing him she had put his money to its legitimate use.
She found a number of the friends she had seen at Wind-
sor when she reached the manufacturing town of Cabot-

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 118

vflle, (which has lately taken the name of Chicopee,) and
with them she spent a pleasant week or more ; after
which, she left them to visit the Shaker village in En-
field. She now began to think of findmg a resting place,
at least, for a season ; for she had performed quite a long
journey, considering she had walked most of the way ;
and she had a mind to look in upon the Shakers, and see
how things were there, and whether there was any open-
ing there for her. But on her way back to Springfield,
she called at a house and asked for a piece of bread ; her
request was granted, and she was kindly invited to tarry
all night, as it was getting late, and she would not be
able to stay at every house in that vicinity, which invita.
tion she cheerfully accepted. When the man of the house
came in, he recollected having seen her at the camp-meet>
ing, and repeated some conversations, by which she re-
cognized him again. He soon proposed having a meeting
that evening, went out and notified his friends and neigh-
bors, who came together, and she once more held forth
to them in her peculiar style. Through the agency of
this meeting, she became acquainted with several peoplo
residing in Springfield, to whose houses she was cordially
invited, and with whom she spent some pleasant time.

One of these friends, writing of her arrival there, speaks
as follows. After saying that she and her people be-
longed to that class of persons who believed m the second
advent doctrines; and that this class, believing also in
freedom of speech and action, often found at their meet-
ings many singular people, who did not agree with them
in their principal doctrine ; and that, being thus prepared
to hear new and strange things, ' They listened eagerly to
Sojourner, and drank in all she said ;'— and also, that she
'soon became a favorite among them; that when she

8

114 NARRATIVE OF

arose to speak in their assemblies, her commanding figure
and dignified manner hushed every trifler into silence, and
her singular and sometimes uncouth modes of expression
nevei provoked a laugh, but often were the whole audi-
ence melted into tears by her touching stories.' She also
adds, ' Many were the lessons of wisdom and faith I have
delighted to learn from her.' , . . . ' She continued a great
favorite in our meetings, both on account of her remarka-
ble gift in prayer, and still more remarkable talent for
singing, . , . and the aptness and point of her remarks,
frequently illustrated by figures the most original and ex-
pressive.

' As we were walking the other day, she said she had
often thought what a beautiful world this would be, when
we should see every thing right side up. Now, we see
every thing topsy-turvy, and all is conftision.' For a per-
son who knows nothing of this fact in the science of op-
tics, this seemed quite a remarkable idea.

' We also loved her for her sincere and ardent piety.
her unwavering faith in God, and her contempt of what
the world calls fashion, and what we call folly.

' She was in search of a quiet place, where a way-worn
traveller might rest. She had heard of Fruitlands, and
was inclined to go there ; but the friends she found here
thought it best for her to visit Northampton. She passed
her time, while with us, working wherever her work was
needed, and talking where work was not needed.

' She would not receive money for her work, saying
she worked for the Lord ; and if her wants were sup-
plied, she received it as from the Lord.

' She remained with us till far into winter, when we in-
troduced her at the Northampton Association.' . . . . ' She
wrote to me from thence, that she had found the quiet

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 115

resting place she had so long desired. A.nd she has re
mained there ever since.'

ANOTHER CAMP-MEETING.

When Sojourner had been at Northampton a few
months, she attended another camp-meeting, at wluch she
performed a very important part.

A party of ^vild young men, with no motive but that
of entertaining themselves by annoying and injuring the
feelings of others, had assembled at the meeting, hooting
and yelling, and in various ways interrupting the services,
and causing much disturbance. Those who had the charge
of the meeting, having tried their persuasive powers in
vain, grew impatient and tried threatening.

The young men, considering themselves insulted, col-
lected their friends, to the number of a hundred or more,
dispersed themselves through the grounds, making the
most frightful noises, and threatenmg to fire the tents. It
was said the authorities of the meeting sat in grave con-
sultation, decided to have the ring-leaders arrested, and
sent for the constable, to the gi-eat displeasure of some of
the company, who were opposed to such an appeal to
force and arms. Be that as it may, Sojotrner, seeing
great consternation depicted in every countenance, caught
the contagion, and, ere she was aware, found herself
quaking with fear.

Under the impulse of this sudden emotion, she fled to
the most retired corner of a tent, and secreted herself be-
hind a trunk, saying to herself, ' I am the only colored
person here, and on me, probably, their wicked miscliief
will fall first, and perhaps fatally.' But feeling how great
was her insecurity even there, as the very tent began to

116 XAKKATlVfi OF

shake from its foundations, she began to soliloquize as fol-
lows : —

' Shall I run away and hide from the Devil 1 Me, a
servant of the living God ? Have I not faith enough to
go out and quell that mob, when I know it is written —
" One shall chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to
flight'"? I know there are not a thousand h^e ; and
I know I am a servant of the living God. I'll go to
the rescue, and the Lord shall go with and protect me.

' Oh,' said she, ' I felt as if I had three hearts ! and that
they were so large, my body could hardly hold them ! '

She now came forth from her hiding-place, and invited
several to go with her and see what they could do to stUl
the raging of the moral elements. They declined, and
considered her wild to think of it.

The meeting was in the open fields — the full moon shed
its saddened light over all — and the woman who was that
evenuig to address them was trembling on the preachers'
stand. The noise and confusion were now terrific. So-
journer left the tent alone and unaided, and walking some
thirty rods to the top of a small rise of ground, com-
menced to sing, in her most fervid manner, with all the
strength of her most powerful voice, the hymn on the
resurrection off Christ —

• It was early in the morning — it was early in the morning,

Just at the break of day —
When he rose — when he rose — when he rose,

And went to heaven on a cloud.'

All who have ever heard her sing this hymn will proba-
bly remember it as long as they remember her. The
hymn, the tune, the style, are each too closely associjited
with to be easily separated from herself, and when sung

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 117

ID one of her most animated moods, in the open air, with
the utmost strength of her most powerful voice, must
have been truly thrilling.

As she commenced to sing, the yount men made a
rush towards her, and she was immediately encircled by
a dense body of the rioters, many of them armed with
sticks or clubs as their weapons of defence, if not of
attack. As the circle narrowed around her, she ceased
singing, and after a short pause, inquired, in a gentle but
firm tone, ' Why do you come about me with clubs and
sticks 1 I am not doing harm to any one.' ' We ar'n't
a going to hurt you, old woman ; we came to hear you
sing,' cried many voices, simultaneously. 'Sing to us,
old woman,' cries one. ' Talk to us, old woman,' says
another. ' Pray, old woman,' says a third. ' Tell us
your experience,' says a fourth. ' You stand and smoke
so near me, I cannot sing or talk,' she answered.

' Stand back,' saitl several authoritative voices, with not
the most gentle or courteous accompaniments, raising
their rude weapons in the air. The crowd suddenly gave
back, the circle became lai-njer, as many voices again called
for singing, talking, or praying, backed by assurances that
no one should be allowed to hurt her — the speakers de-
claring with an oath, that they would ' knock down any
person who should offer her the least indignity.

She looked about her, and with her usual discrimination,
said inwardly — ' Here must be many young men in all this
assemblage, bearing within them hearts susceptible of
good impressions. I will speak to them.' She did
speak ; they silently heard, and civilly asked her many
questions. It seemed to her to be given her at the time
to answer them with truth and wisdom beyond herself.
Her speech had operated on the roused passions of the

118 NARRATIVE OP

Laob like oil on agitated waters ; they were, as a whole,
entirely subdued, and only clamored when she ceased
to speak or sing. Those who stood in the background,
after the circle was enlarged, cried out, 'Sing aloud, old
woman, we can't hear.' Those who held the sceptre ot
power among them requested that she should make a
pulpit of a neighboring wagon. She said, ' If I do, they'll
overthrow it.' ' No, they sha'n't — he who dares hurt
you, we'll knock him down instantly, d — n him,' cried
the chiefs. 'No we won't, no we won't, nobody shall
hurt you,' answered the many voices of the mob. They
kindly assisted her to mount the wagon, from which she
spoke and sung to them about an hour. Of all she said
to them on the occasion, she remembers only the follow-
ing:—

'Well, there are two congregations on this ground.
It is written that there shall be a separation, and the sheep
shall be separated from the goats. The other preachers
have the sheep, / have the goats. And I have a few
sheep among my goats, but they are very ragged.' This
exordium produced great laughter. When she became
wearied with talking, she began to cast about her to con-
trive some way to induce them to disperse. While she
paused, they loudly clamored for ' more,' ' more,' — ' sing,'
' smg more.' She motioned them to be quiet, and called
out to them : ' Children, I have talked and sung to you,
as you asked me ; and now I have a request to make of
you : will you grant it V ' Yes, yes, yes,' resounded from
every quarter. ' Well, it is this,' she answered : ' if I
will sing one more hymn for you, will you then go away,
and leave us this night in peace f ' Yes, yes,' came
faintly, feebly from a few. ' I repeat it,' says Sojourner,
• and I want an answer from you all, as of one acicord.

SOJOURNER TRUTH. Il9

If I will sing you one more, you will go away, and leave
us this night in peace f ' Yes, yes, yes,' shouted many
voices, with hearty emphasis, ' I repeat my request
once more,' said she, ' and I want you all to answer.'
And she reiterated the words again. This time a longj
loud ' Yes — yes — yes,' came up, as from the multitudi
nous mouth of the entire mob. ' Amen ! it is sealed,
repeated Sojourner, in the deepest and most solemn toness
of her powerful and sonorous voice. Its effect ran
through the multitude, like an electric shock; and the
most of them considered themselves bound by their
promise, as they might have failed to do under less
imposing circumstances. Some of them began instantly
to leave ; others said, ' Are we not to have one more
hymn ? ' ' Yes,' answered their entertainer, and she
commenced to sing :

' I bless the Lord I've got my seal — to-day and to-day —

To slay Goliath in the field — to-day and to-day ;

The good old way is a righteous way,

I mean to take the kingdom in the good old way.'

While singing, she heard some enforcing obedience to
their promise, while a few seemed refusmg to abide by it.
But before she had quite concluded, she saw them turn
from her, and in the course of a few minutes, they were
runniijg as fast as they well could in a solid body ; and
she says she can compare them to nothing but a swarm
of bees, so dense was their phalanx, so straight their
course, so hurried their march. As they passed with a
rush very near the stand of the other preachers, the
hearts of the people were smitten with fear, thinking that
their entertainer had failed to enchain them longer with
her spell, and that they wf re roming upon them with re-
doubled and remorseless fury. But they found they were

120 NARRATIVE OF

mistaken, and that their fears were groundless; for,
before they could well recover from their surprise, every
rioter was gone, and not one was left on the grounds, or
seen there again during the meeting. Sojourner was
informed that as her audience reached the main road,
some distance from the tents, a few of the rebellious
spirits refused to go on, and proposed returning ; but
their leaders said, ' No — we have promised to leave — all
promised, and we must go, all go, and you shall none of
you return again.'

She did not fall in love at first sight with the Northamp-
ton Association, for she arrived there at a time when ap-
pearances did not correspond with the ideas of associa-
tionists, as they had been spread out in their wi-itings ;
for their phalanx was a factory, and they were wanting in
means to carry out their ideas of beauty and elegance, as
they would have done in different circumstances. But
she thought she would make an effort to tarry with them
one night, though that seemed to her no desirable affair.
But as soon as she saw that accomplished, literary and
refined persons were living m that plain and simple man-
ner, and submitting to the labors and privations incident
to such an infant institution, she said, ' Well, if these can
live here, / can.' Afterwards, she gradually became
pleased with, and attached to, the place and the people,
as well she might ; for it must have been no small thmg
to have found a home in a ' Community composed of
some of the choicest spirits of the age,' where all was
characterized by an equality of feeling, a liberty of
thought and speech, and a largeness of. soul, she could
not have before met with, to the same extent, in any of
her wanderings.

Our first knowledge of her was derived from a friend

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 121

who had resided for a time in the ' Community,' and who,
after describmg her, and singing one of her hymns,
wished that we might see her. But we little thought, at
that time, that we should ever pen these ' simple annals'
of this child of nature.

When we first saw her, she was working with a hearty
good will ; saying she would not be mduced to take reg-
ular wages, believing, as once before, that now Provi-
dence had provided her with a never- failing fount, from
which her every want might be perpetually supplied
through her mortal life. In this, she had calculated too
fast. For the Associationists found, that, taking every
thing into consideration, they would find it most expe-
dient to act individually ; and again, the subject of this
sketch found her dreams unreal, and herself flung back
upon her own resources for the supply of her needs.
This she might have found more inconvenient at her time
of life — for labor, exposure and hardship had made sad
inroads upon her iron constitution, by inducing chronic
disease and premature old age — had she not remained
under the shadow of one,* who never wearies in doing
good, giving to the needy, and supplying the wants of
the destitute. She has now set her heart upon having a
little home of her own, even at this late hour of life,
where she may feel a greater freedom than she can in
the house of another, and where she can repose a little,
after her day of action has passed by. And for such a
' home ' she is now dependent on the charities of the
benevolent, and to them we appeal with confidence.

Through all the scenes of her eventful life may be
traced the energy of a naturally powerful mind — the fear-
lessness and child-like simplicity of one unti'ammelled by

* George W. Benson.

122 NARRATIVE OF

education or conventional customs — purity of character
— an unflinching adherence to principle — and a native en-
thusiasm, wliich, under different circumstances, might
easily have produced another Joan of Arc.

With all her fervor, and enthusiasm, and speculation,
her religion is not tinctured m the least with gloom. No
doubt, no hesitation, no despondency, spreads a cloud
over her soul ; but all is bright, clear, positive, and at
times ecstatic. Her trust is in God, and from him she
looks for good, and not evil. She feels that ' perfect love
casteth out fear.'

Having more than once found herself awaking from a
mortifying delusion, — as in the case of the Sing-Sing king-
dom,— and resolving not to be thus deluded again, she
has set suspicion to guard the door of her heart, and al-
lows it perhaps to be aroused by too slight causes, on
certain subjects — her vivid imagination assisting to mag-
nify the phantoms of her fears into gigantic proportions,
much beyond their real size ; instead of resolutely adher-
ing to the rule we all like best, when it is to be applied
to ourselves — that of placing every thing we see to the
account of the best possible motive, until time and cir-
cumstance prove that we were wrong. Where no good
motive can be assigned, it may become our duty to sus-
pend our judgment till evidence can be had.

In the application of this rule, it is an undoubted duty
to exercise a commendable prudence, by refusing to re-
pose any important trust to the keeping of persons who
may be strangers to us, and whose trustworthiness we
have never seen tried. But no possible good, but incal-
culable evil may and does arise from the too common
practice of placing all conduct, the source of which we
do not fully understand, to the worst of intentions. How

SOJOURNEE TRUTH. 123

often is the gentle, timid soul discouraged, and driven
perhaps to despondency, by finding its ' good evil spoken
of;' and a well-meant but mistaken action loaded with
an evU design !

If the world would but sedulously set about reforming
itself on this one point, who can calculate the change it
would produce — the evil it would annihilate, and the hap-
piness it would confer ! None but an all-seeing eye could
at once embrace so vast a result. A result, how desira-
ble ! and one that can be brought about only by the most
simple process — that of every individual seeing to it that
he commit not this sin himself. For why should we all
low in ourselves, the very fault we most dislike, when
committed against us 1 Shall we not at least aim at
consistency ?

Had she possessed less generous self-sacrifice, more
knowledge of the world and of business matters in gene-
ral, and had she failed to take it for granted that others
were like herself, and would, when her turn came to need,
do as she had done, and find it ' more blessed to give than
to receive,' she might have laid by something for the fu-
ture. For few, perhaps, have ever possessed the power
and inclination, in the same degree, at one and the same
time, to labor as she has done, both day and night, for so
long a period of time. And had these energies been well-
directed, and the proceeds well husbanded, since she has
been her own mistress, they would have given her an in-
dependence during her natural life. But her constitu-
tional biases, and her early training, or rather want of
training, prevented this result ; and it is too late now to
remedy the great mistake. Shall she then be left to
want 1 Who will not answer, ' No !'

124 NARRATIVE OF

LAST INTERVIEW WITH HER MASTER,

In the spring of 1849, Sojourner made a visit to her eld-
est daughter, Diana, who has ever suffered from ill health,
and remained with Mr. Dumont, Isabelhi's humane master.
She found him still living, though advanced in age, and
reduced in property, (as he had been for a number of
years,) but greatly enlightened on the subject of slavery.
He said he could then see, that ' slavery was the wicked-
3st thing in the world, the greatest curse the earth had ever
felt — that it was then very clear to his mind that it was
so, though, while he was a slaveholder himself, he did not
see it so, and thought it was as right as holding any other
property.' Sojourner remarked to him, that it might be
the same with those who are now slaveholders. ' O, no,'
replied he, with warmth, ' it cannot be. For, now, the
sin of slavery is so clearly written out, and so much talked
against, — (why, the whole world cries out against it !) —
that if any one says he don't know, and has not heard, he
must, I think, be a liar. In my slaveholding days, there
were few that spoke against it, and these few made little
impression on any one. Had it been as it is now, think
you I could have held slaves 1 No ! I should not have
dared to do it, but should have emancipated every one of
them. Now, it is very different ; all may hear if they
will.'

Yes, reader, if any one feels that the tocsin of alarm,
or the anti-slavery trump, must sound a louder note be-
fore they can hear it, one would think they must be very
haxd of hearing — yea, that the}- belong to that class, of
whom it may be truly said, ' they have stopped their ears
that they may not hear.'

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 125

She received a letter from her daughter Diana, dated
Hyde Park, December 19, 1849, which informed her that
Mr. Dumont had 'gone West' with some of his sons —
that he had taken along with him, probably through mis-
take, the few articles of furniture she had left with him.
' Never mind,' says Sojourner, ' what we give to the poor,
we lend to the Lord.' She thanked the Lord with fervor,
that she had lived to hear her master say such blessed
things ! She recalled the lectures he used to give his
slaves, on speaking the truth and being honest, and laugh-
ing, she says he taught us not to lie and steal, when he
was stealina; all the time himself and did not know it !
Oh ! how sweet to my mmd was thiii confession ! And
what a confession for a master to make to a slave ! A
slaveholding master turned to a brother ! Poor old man,
may the Lord bless him. and all slaveholders partake of
his spirit '

THE VALIANT SOLDIERS.

Tdnk.— "John Brown."

The following song, written for tlie first Michigan Regiment of colored
soldiers, was composed by Sojourner Truth during the war, and was sung
hy her in Detroit and Washington.

We are the valiant soldiers who've 'listed for the war;
We aj-e fighting for the Union, we are fighting for the law ;
We can shoot a rebel farther than a white man ever saw,
As we go marching on.

Chonis. —

Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah, as we go marching on.

Look there above the center, where the flag is waving bright ;
We are going out of slavery, we are bound for freedom's light;
We mean to show Jeff Davis how the Africans can fight,
As we go marching on. — Cho.

We are done with hoeing cotton, we are done with hoeing corn ;
We are colored Yankee soldiers as sure as you are born.
When raassa hears us shouting, he will think 'tis Gabriel's horn.
As we go marching on. — Cho.

They will have to pay us wages, the wages of their sin;

They will have to bow their foreheads to their colored kith and

kin;
They will have to give us house-room, or the roof will tumble in.
As we go marching on. — Cho.

We hear the proclamation, massa, hush it as you will ;
The birds will sing it to us, hopping on the cotton hill ;
The possum up the gum tree couldn't keep it still.
As he went climbing on. — Cho.

Father Abraham has spoken, and the message has been sent;
The prison doors have opened, and out the prisoners went
To join the sable army of African descent,
As we go marching on. — Cho.

(126)

cc

BOOK OF LIFE."

SOJOURNER TRUTH.

A Picture toi.en In the days of her Physical Strength

FART SECOND,

J300K OF LIFE.

The preceding narrative has given us a partial hia-
tory of Sojourner Truth. Tliis biography was pub-
lislied nut many years after her freedom had been se-
cured to her. Having but recently emerged from the
gloomy night of slavery, ignorant and untaught in all
that gives value to human existence, she was still suf-
fering from the burden of acquired and transmitted
habits incidental to her past condition of servitude.
Yet she was one whose life forces and moral percep-
tions were so powerful and clear cut that she not only
came out from this moral gutter herself, but largely
assisted in elevating others of her race from a similar
state of degradation. It was the " oil of divine ori-
gin " which (juickened her soul and fed the vital spark,
that her own indomitable courage f\\nned to an undy-
ing flame. She was one of the first to enlist in the
war against slavery, and fought the battles for free-
dom by the side of its noble leaders.

A true sentinel, she slumbered not at her f)ost. To
hasten the enfranchisement of Iier own people was
the great work to which she cousecmttd her liib; yei,

A (12'J)

130 "BOOK OF LIFE.

ever responsive to tlie calls of liumanitj^, she cheer-
fully lent her aid to the advancement of other reforms,
especially woman's rights and temperance.

During the last twenty-five years, she has traveled
thousands of miles, lectured in many States of tbe
Union, spoken in Congress, and has received tokens
of friendship such as few can produce. The following
article was published in a Washington Sunday paper
during the administration of President Lincoln : —

" It was our good fortune to be in the marble room
of the senate chamber, a few days ago, when that old
land-mark of the past — the representative of the for-
ever-gone age — Sojourner Truth, made her ap])ear-
ance. It was an hour not soon to be forgotten ; ft)r
it is not often, even in this magnanimous age of prog-
ress, that we see reverend senators — even him that
holds the second chair in the gift of the Republic —
vacate their seats in the hall of State, to extend the
hand of welcome, the meed of praise, and substantial
blessings, to a poor negro woman, whose poor old form,
bending under the burden of nearly four-score and
ten years, tells but too plainly that liQr marvelously
strange life is drawing to a close. But it was as re-
freshing as it was strange to see her who had served in
the shackles of slaveiy in the gi-eat State of New York
for nearly a quarter of a century before a majority of
these senators were born now holding a levee with
them in the marble room, where legs than a decade
ago she Vould have been spumed from its outer cor-
ridor by the lowest numial, much less cuvdd slic luive
t^dven the \umd of a S(;nator. Truly, the spirit of prog-
ress is abroad in the land, and the leaven of love is

A LECTURlNa TOUR. 131

working in the hearts of the people, pointing with un-
erring certainty to the not far distant future, when the
ties of affection shall cement all nations, kindreds and
tongues into one common brotherhood."

8he carries with her a book that she calls the Book
of Life, which contains the aiitographs of many distin-
guished personages — the good and great of the land.
No better idea can be given of the estimation in which
she is held than by transcribing these testimonials and
giving them to the public. It will be difficult to
arrange these accounts in the chronological order of
e\'ents, but no effort has been spared to furnish cor-
rect dates.

In the year 1 851 she left her home in Northampton,
Mass., for a lecturing tour in Western New York, ac-
companied by the Hon. George Thompson of England,
and other distinguished abolitionists. To advocate the
cause of the enslaved at this period was both unpopu-
lar and unsafe. Their meetings were frequently dis-
turbed or broken up by the pro-slavery mob, and their
lives imperiled. At such times, Sojourner fearlessly
maintained her grovmd, and by her dignified manner
and opportune remarks would disperse the rabble and
restore order.

She s}»ent several months in Western New York,
making llochester her head-quarters. Leaving this
State, she traveled westward, and the next glinqise we
get of her is in a Woman's Rights Convention at
Akron, Ohio. JMrs. Frances 1). Gage, v/ho presidcil
at that meeting, relates the following : —

" The cause was unpopular then. The leaders of
the movement trembled on seeing a tidl, gaunt black

132 "BOOK Ui'' LIFE."

woman, in a gray dress and white turban, surmounted
by an iincoutli sun-bonnet, march deliberately into the
church, walk with the air of a queen up the aisle, and
take her seat upon the pulpit steps. A buzz of dis-
approbation was heard all over the house, and such
words as these fell upon listening ears : —

" ' An abolition affair ! ' ' AVoman's rights and nig-
gers I ' ' We told you so ! ' 'Go it, old darkey ! '

"I chanced upon that occasion to wear my fiist
laurels in public life as president of the meeting. At
my request, order was restored and the business of the
hour went on. The morning session Avas held ; the
evening exercises came and went. Old Sojourner,
quiet and reticent as the ' Libyan Statue,' sat crouched
against the wall on the corner of the ])ulpit staii's,
her sun-bonnet shading her eyes, her elbow.s on her
knees, and her chin resting upon her broad, hard palm.
At intermission she was busy, selling ' The Life of
Sojourner Truth,' a narrative of her own strange and
adventurous life. Again and again timorous and
ti'embling ones came to me and said with eai'nestness,
' Do n't let her speak, Mrs. Gage, it will ruin us.
Every newspaj^er in the land will have our cause
mixed with abolition and niggers, and we shall be ut-
terly denounced.' My only answer was, 'We shall
see when tlie time comes.'

"The second day the work waxed warm. Metho-
dist, Baptist, Episcopal, Presljyterian, and Universal-
ist jiiinisters came in to hear and discuss the resolu-
tions presented. One claimed superior rightn and
jirivilcges for man on the ground of superior intellect j
iinothcr. becxtuso of tlio uiuiihoocl of Clniyt. 'Jf God

SOMETHINa OUT V) KILTER. 18:1

hail desired the equality of woman, Iio would lia-\e
given some, token of his will through the birth, life,
and death of the Saviour.' Another gave us a theo-
losical view of the sin of our first mother. There
were few women in those days that dared to ' speak
in meeting,' and the august teachers of the people
were seeming to get the better of us, vshile the boys
in the galleries and the sneerers among the pews were
hugely enjoying the discomfiture, as they supposed, of
the ' stronsr minded.' Some of the tender-skinned
friends were on the point of losing dignity, and the
atmosphere of the convention betokened a storm.

" Slowly from her seat in the corner rose Sojoiu-ner
Truth, who, till now, had scarcely lifted her head.
' Do n't let her speak ! ' gasped half a dozen in my ear.
She moved slowly and solemidy to the front, laid her
old bonnet at her feet, and turned her great, speaking
eyes to me. There was a' hissing sound of disappro-
bation above and below. I rose and announced ' So-
journer Truth,' and begged the audience to keep si-
lence for a few moments. The tumult subsided at
once, and every eye was fixed on this almost Amazon
form, which stood nearly six feet high, head erect, and
eye piercing the upper air, like one in a dream. At
her first word, there was a profound hiish. She spoke
in deep tones, which, though not loud, reached every
ear in the house, and away through the throng at the
doors and windows : —

" ' Well, chilern, whar dar is so much racket dar
must be something out o' kilter. I tink dat 'twixt de
niggers of de Souf and de women at de Norf all a
talkin' 'bout rights, de white men will be in a fix

134- "KOOTv OF T,1FE."

pretty soon. ]»nt wiiat's all dis liere talkin' 'bout?
Dat man ober tlar say dat women needs to be heljted
into carriages, and lifted ober ditches, and to have de
best place every v/har. Nobody eber hel}) me into
carriages, or ober mud puddles, or gives me any best
place [and raising herself to her full hight and her
voice to a pitch like rolling thunder, she asked], and
ar'n't I a woman 1 Look at me ! Look at my arm !
[And she bared her right arm to the shoulder, show-
ing her tremendous muscular power.] I have plowed,
and planted, an^l gathered into barns, and no man
could head me — and ar'n't I a vi^oman ] I could work
as much and eat as much as a man (when I could get
it), and bear de lash as >^11 — and ar'n't I a woman ?
I have borne ■^^ffieaochilern and seen 'em mos' all
sold off into slavery, and when I cried out v/itli a
mother's grief, none but Jesus heaixl — and ar'n't I a
woman 1 Den dey talks 'bout dis ting in de head —
what dis dey call it 1 ' ' Intellect,' whispered some one
neai". ' Dat's it honey. What's dat got to do with
women's rights or niggers' rights ? If my cup won't
hold but a pint and yourn holds a quart, would n't ye
be mean not to let me have ni}^ little half-measure full 1 '
And she pointed her significant finger and sent a keen
glance at the minister who had made the argument.
The cheering was long and loud.

" ' Den dat little man in black dar, he say women
can't have as much rights as man, cause Christ want
a woman. Whar did your Christ come from ] ' Iloll-
ing thunder could not have stilled that crowd as did
those deep, wonderful tones, as she stood there with
outstretched arms and eye of fire. Raising her voice

TflE TIDE Ttrp.NS. 135

still lon.lor, slfe ropoatrd, ' WJiar did your C'lirist
come from ? From Clod and a woman. Man had
nothing to do witli h.im.' Oh ! wliat a rebuke she
gave the little man.

'"Tiiniing again to another objector, she took up
the defense of mother Eve. I cannot follow her
through it all. It was pointed, and witty, and sol-
emn, eliciting at almost every sentence deafening ap-
plause ; and she ended by asserting that ' if de fust
woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the
world upside down, all 'lone, dese togedder [and she
glanced her eye over ns], ought to be able to turn it
back and get it right side up again, and now dey is
asking to do it, de men better let em.' Long-contin-
ued cheering. ' Lleeged to ye for hcarin' on me, and
now ole Sojourner ha'n't got nothing more to say.'

" Amid roars of applause, she turned to lier corner,
leaving more than one of us with streaming eyes and
hearts beating with gratitude. She had taken us up
m her strong arms and carried us safely over the
slough of difficulty, turning the whole tide in our fa-
vor. ^ I liave never in my life seen anything like the
magical influence that subdued the mobbish spirit of
the day and turned the jibes and sneers of an excited
crowd into notes of respect and admiration. Hun-
dreds rushed up to shake hands, and congratulate the
glorious old mother and bid her God speed on her
mission of ' testifying again concerning the wickedness
of this 'ere people.'"

Mrs. Gage also in the same article relates the fol-

owmg :-

" Once upon a Sabbath in Michigan an abolition

IVyC) " BOOK OF LIFE."

mooting was lielil. Parker Pili.slnuy was spoakor, and
criticized freely tlie conduct of tlio churches regarding
slavery. While he was speaking there came np a
fearful thunder storm. A young Methodist arose, and
interrupting the speaker, said he felt-alarmed; he felt
as if Clod's judgment was about to fall on him for dar-
ing to sit and hear such Llapphemy ; that it iiuade his
hair almost rise with terror. Hero a ^'oice, sounding
al)ove the rrdfi that beat iipon the roof, the swee}>ing
STirge of the winds, the crashing of the "limbs of trees,
the swaying of branches, and the rolling of thunder,
spoke out : ' Chile, do n't be skeered ; you are not go-
ing to be harmed, I do n't speck God's ever heai"n
tell on ye.' It was fill she said, but it was enough,"

She remained two years in the State of Ohio,
going from town to town, attending conventions, and
holding meetings of her own. Marius Robinson, of
Salem, Ohio, editor of the Anti-Slavery Jhiglc, whose
clarion notes never faltered in freedom's cause, was
her friend and co-laborer. She toiled on in this field
perse veringly, sov/ing the seeds of truth in the hearts
of the people, and patiently awaiting the time when
she should help gather in the sheaves of a ripened
harvest. At this time she attracted but little atten-
tion outside a charmed circle of reformers whoso
mighty moral power was the lever Avhich eventually
overthrev/ the institution of American slavery.

About the year ISoO, she came to Battle Creek and
bought a house and lot, since which time her home
has been in Michigan. She still continued her itiner-
ant life, spending mncli of her time in the neighboring
States, cs})ccially in Indiana, which she felt needed

mo- SLAVERY IJs INDIANA. 1S7

hnr missionary efforts. An account of ono of liov
meetings held in tlie northern part of tliat State has
been kindly fni'nished ns by her friend, Parker Pills-
l)ury, accompanied by a note from himself.

" I inclose a communication from the Boston Liber-
ator, of Oct. 5, 1858, relating to Sojourner Truth.
The wondrous experiences of that most remarkable
woman would make a library, if not indeed a litera-
ture, could they all be gathered and spread before the
world. I was much in her company for several years
in the anti-slavery conflict, and have often seen her
engaged in what seemed most unequal combat with
the defenders of slavery and foes of freedom ; but I
never saw her when she did not, as in the instance
given below, scatter her enemies with dismny and
confusion, winning more than victory in every bat-
tle, p. p."

"PRO-SLAVEEY IN INDIANA.

"Silver Lake, Kosciusko Co., Intl., ]
"October 1, 1S5S. )

" FraEND W. L. GarFvISON : — Sojourner Truth, an
elderly colored woman, well knovv'n thi'oughout the
Eastenr States, is now holding a series of an ti slavery
meetings in Northern Indiana. Sojourner comes well
recommended by H. B. Stowe, yourself, and others,
and was gladly received and welcomed by the friends
of the slave in this locality. Her progress in knowl-
edge, truth, and righteousness is very remarkable, es-
pecially when we consider her former low estate as a
slave. The border-rufiian Democracy of Indiana,
however, appear to be jealous and suspicious of every

138 "BOOK OF LTFE."

aiiLi Hhnory movement. A niinoi^ was immediatolj
circulated tliafc Sojourner v/as an impostov; that ahv,
was, indtied, a man disguised in women's clothing. It
ai)pears, too, from what has since transpired, that they
suspected her to ]>e a mercenary hireling of the Ee-
puhlican party.

"At her third appointed meeting in this vicinity,
which was held in the meeting-house of the United
TJrethren, a large number of democrats and other
pro-slavery persons were present. At the close of the
meeting, Dr. T. W. Strain, the mout])})iece of the
slave Democracy, requested the large congregation to
' hold on,' and stated that a douht existed in the minds
of many i)ersons present i-especting the sex of the
speaker, and that it was his impression that a major-
ity of them helieved the speaker to he a man. The
doctor also affirmed, (which, was not believed by the
friends of the slave) that it was for the speaker's spe-
cial benefit that he now demanded that Sojourner
submit her breast to the inspection of some of the la-
dies present, that the doubt might be removed by
their testimony. There were a large number of ladies
])resent, who appeared to be ashamed, and indignant
at such a proposition. Sojourner's friends, some ot
whom had not heard the rumor, were surprised and
indignant at such ruffianly surmises and treatment.

" Confusion and uproar ensiied, which was soon sup-
pressed by Sojoixrnei", who, immediately rising, asked
them why they suspected her to be a man. The De-
mocracy answered, ' Your voice is not the voice of a
woman, it is the voice of a man, and we believe vou
arc a man.' Dr. Strain called for a vote, and a bois-

PtlO-SLAVERY TN INDIANA. 139

terons ' Ayo,' was the result. A negative vote was
not called for. Sojourner told them that her l)reasts
had suckled many a white bahe, to the exclusion of
her own offspring; that some of those white babies
had grown to man's estate ; that, although they had
sucked her colored breasts, they were, in her estima-
tion, far more manly than they (her persecutors) ap-
peared to be ; and she quietly asked them, as she dis-
robed her bosom, if they, too, wished to sxick ! In
vindication of her truthfulness, she told them that she
would show her breast to the whole congregation ;
that it was not to her shame that she uncovered her
breast before them, but to their shame. Two yoinig
men (A. Badgely and J. Horner) stepped forward
while Sojourner exposed her naked breast to the au-
dience. I heard a democrat say, as we were return-
ing home from meeting, that Dr. Strain had, previous
to the examination, oftered to bet forty dollars that
Sojourner was a man ! So much for the physiological
acumen of a western physician.

" As ' agitation of thought is the beginning of wis-
dom,' we hope that Indiana will yet be redeemed.
" Youi's, truly, for the slave,

"William Hayward."

The late lamented Josephine GrifBng, whose loyal
services in support of the Union, and untiring labors
Tor the colored race, entitles her to a monument at
the nation's cost, was often associated with Sojourner
in anti-slavery times, and was invited to hold meet-
ings with her in Angola and vicinity in the autumn
of 18G2. The slave-holding spirit 'was now fully

140 " BOOK OF LIFE."

aroused in Indiana, and vcvy Litter toward llie nogvo.
A law had recently been passed foiliidding tlieir enter-
ing the State or remaining in it. This law was nncon-
stitational, nevertheless the democrats had enforced
it and endeavored to enforce it in Sojourner's case.
A warrant^ was made out and she was arrested for
both offenses. Mrs. Griffing undertook her defense
alone, outwitted and beat the enemy. Sojourner,
nothing daunted, determined to remain and carry out
the programme. For a time her meetings were much
disturbed. When she arose to speak, the democrats
would cry, " Down with you ! AVe think the niggers
have done enough ! We will not hear you speak !
Stop your mouth ! &c., &c." She told them that the
Union people would soon make them stop their
mouths. The Union home guard took her into custody
to protect her from being thx-own into jail by the rebels.
A meeting was appointed at the town-bouse in An-
gola, but the democrats threatened to burn the build-
ing if she attempted to speak in it. To this she
made answer, " Then I will speak upon the ashes."
Describing this meeting, she says : —

" The ladies thought I should be dressed in uniform
as well as the captain of the home guard, whose pris-
oner I was and who was to go with me to the meet-
ing. So they put upon me a red, white, and blue
shawl, a sash and apron to match, a cap on my head
with a star in front, and a star on each shoulder.
When I was dressed I looked in the glass and was
fairly frightened." Said I, " It seems I am going to
battle," My friends advised me to take a sword or
pistol. I rejdied, " I carry no weapon ; the Lord will

I'llO-SL AVERY IN INDIANA, 141

resei've [preserve] me without weapons. I feel safe
even in the raicist of my enemies j for the truth is
powerful and v/ill prevail."

" When we were ready to go, iliej put nie into a
large, lieautiful carriage Vt^ith the captain and other
gentlemen, all of whom were armed. The soldiers
walked by our side and a long procession followed.
As we neared the court-house, looking out of the win-
dow, I saw that the building was surrounded by a
great crowd. I felt as I was going against the
Philistines and I prayed the Lord to reliver [deliver]
me out of their hands. Bat when the rebels saw
such a mighty army coming, they fled, and by the
tiuie we arrived they were scattered over the fields,
looking like a flock of frightened crows, and not one
was left but a small boy, who sat upon the fence, cry-
ing, 'Nigger, nigger !'

" We now marched into the court-house, escorted
by double files of soldiers with presented arms. The
band struck up the ' Star Spangled Banner,' in which
1 joined and sang with all my might, while amid
flashing bayonets and waving banners our }>arty made
its way to the platform upon which I went and advo-
cated free speech with more zeal than ever befttre, and
withoiit interruption. At the close of the meeting, I
was conducted to the house of the esquire for safety,
as my friends feared the mob might return and make'
'us trouble ; but the day passed without fiirther an-
noyance,

" I S{)ent gome of the time at Pleasant Lake with
Mr. Itoby'tj family; but Mr. Roby was arrested for en-
iei'hiiuing me, tried and acquittod. Anotlior iVieiid,

142 "BOOK OF LIFE."

Mr. Fox, was taken up for encuiunging me t(» remain
in the State and summoned to aj)[)ear at the district
court, but was found 'not guilty.'

"One day whilst I was at Mr. Roby's, two ladies
drove up in haste and earnestly desired me to leave,
saying the rebels were near by — coming to take me —
whei'eupon I went home with them. But they, be-
coming more alarmed, advised me to seek safety in
some woods not far away, by offering to go with me.
This I positively refused to do, and told them I would
sooner go to jail. I stood my ground and the rebel
constable came with a warrant to take me ; but a Un-
ion officer, following closely behind him, stepped up
and read some papei's showing tliat I was his prisonei'.
At this turn of affairs the rebel officer looked very
much disgusted, and turning to go, said, ' I ain't go-
ing to bother my head with niggers, I'll resign my of-
fice first.' Then the home guard marched up to our
house, playing upon the fife and drum, and gave loud
cheers for Sojourner, Fi-ee Speech, and the Union.

" The last time I was arrested, the constable asked
if I would appear at court, or if he should take rnc
along with him. INIy friends assured him that they
would be responsible for my appearance. When the
day for my trial came, a great many went with me,
some of the best families in the county, among whom
' were Dr. Gale, Dr. Moss and family, Thomas Moss
and family, Mr. Pvoby, Mrs. Griffing, and many other
noble people whose names I cannot now recall, but
tlie memory of whose friendshi}) will be cherished
whilst memory remains.

"INIy enemies, thinking I would itrobably run

PRO- SLAVERY IN INDIANA. 143

away, had made no preparation for the trial; but
when they saw us come, hunted around and procured
a shabby room into which I went with a few friends
and waited for some one to appear against me. After
a while, two half-drunken lawyers, who looked like
the scrapings of the Democratic party, made their ap-
pearance, eyed us for a few moments, then left. Pres-
ently we saw them enter a tavern across the way, and
this ended the trial.

" We now went to the house of a friend and had a
gr?aid picnic. I returned home after a month of hard
labor in Indiana, which I believe did much for the
cause of human freedom."

Mrs. Griffing, writing to the Anti-Slavery Standard,
says, " Our meetings are largely attended by persons
from every part of the county ; especially by the most
noble-hearted women, whose presence has produced a
marked impression and has done more toward estab-
lishing a free government than would the killing of a
hundred of Ellsworth's Zouaves. The lines are now
being drawn as they never were by political maneuver,
and as they cannot be by the cold steel alone, because
it is a blow at slavery. ' Cannon balls may aid the
truth, but thought's a weapon stronger.'

" Slavery has made a conquest in this county by
the sup})ression of free speech, and freedom must make
her conquest l»y the steadfast support of fx-ee speech^
■ There was not manhood enough in the county last
fall to protect an aati-slavery meeting at the county-
seat; now there are a hundred -incn who would spill
their Itlood sooner than surrender the right of even
Sojourner. At all of our meetings we have been

14 i "BOOK OF LIFE."

told that armed men were in our midst and liad de-
clared tliey would blow out our brains."

In tlie winter and spring of 1863, Sojourner was ill
for many weeks and lier finances becoming exhausted,
she prayed the Lord to send an angel to relieve her
wants. Soon aft ;r, q friend called bringing all need-
ful supplies, to whom she said, "I just asked the Lord
to send one of his chosen angels to me," and smiling
added, " I knew he would think of you first."

Her case was made known to the public through
the columns of the Anti-Slavery Standard and gener-
ous donations were forwarded to her. The following
articles were published at the time : —

"SOJOURNER TRUTH.

" Oliveu Johnson : —

" Bear Friend — Again 1 would ask
permission, through your paper, to return tlianks to
friends whose hearts have been moved to give aid and
comfort to our 'venerable friend and teacher,' So-
journer Truth. She desires me to say that she cannot
rest until all know how truly grateful she is for their
kind assistance. She says her heart is full of praises
and prayer, and sometimes she thinks her cup of hap-
piness is about to run over, and she prays de Lord to
pour it on to some of her friends. Would that some
people had the power and goodness of lieart to extnict
hai'piness from material surroundings in proportion
to tlieir i)ossesBious, as Sojourner has. A much but-
ter world would thia be.

"Wlicn ilio kind and excolleut lutter reached her

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 145

from Samuel May and wifo, of Leicester, Mass., ac-
companied witli donations from Ireland, she was
greatly surprised, and expressions of deep gratitxide
came in rapid succession. Finally, she concluded that
no mortal on earth was ever so blessed before, and
she was quite sure ' do Lord never sent his angels from
so great a distance, even in 'Lijah's day.' .She won-
dei'cd wlio ever hoard of Sojourner way in Ireland,
and when she thought that they were friends whom
she had never seen, she was quite overcome with joy,
and thought the iroodness of the I^ord was greater than
she coidd understand.

" She wishes you to pi'int the name of her gi'andson,
James Caldwell, of the 5ith, thinking that some one
may go and see him,

" She wishes her friends to know tliat her health is
better than it was some time since. She says she has
' budded out wid de trees, but may fall wid de au-
tumn leaves.'

"PlIKliE II. M. STrCKNEY."

"najirs of donors.

" Mrs. Edmundson,

Dublin, Ireland,

Mrs. Anne Allen,

(( a

Ilichard I). Webb,

a ii

Sarah R. May, Leicester, JMass.

Samuel May, Jr.,

i( a

Mrs. Ctoss,

New York,

W. H. Burleigh,

a (I

George W. Bungay,

(( li

Oliver Johnson,

a 11

Theodore Tilton,

(c a

B

14G "BOOK OF LIFE."

' Freedman's Roliof Society,' Worcestei', Mass.

Miss Ladd,

Mrs. Miller,

Mr. and Mrs. Twam,

Dr. Church and wife,

Mrs. John Hull,

Mrs. Maria Brown and Stillman,

Miss Laui'a Stebbins,

Mrs. Charles Hastings,

Mrs. Griffing,

Mrs. Samson and Mrs. Eliot,

Mrs. John Hamilton."

"To the Editor of the National Anti-Rlarory Standard :

"This extraordinary woman still lives. When the
letter of Phebe M. Sfcickney came to lis at our home
on the prairies in Iowa, suggesting pecuniary comfort
for the blessed old saint in the sunset of her remarka-
ble and useful life, I never remember to have regretted
more that I had so little at command to bestow. The,
Standard, however, reports the names of a number ot
friends who were ready and willing to minister to her
necessities. I hope others will do likewise. Few, if
any, in tlie land are more worthy. Hers has been a
life of ])re-eminent devotion to the sacred cause oi
liberty and purity.

" The graphic sketch of her by the author of ' Uncle
Tom's Cabin ' has doubtless been read witli interest
by thousands. No pen, however, can give an ade-
quate idea of Sojourner Truth. This unlearned Afri-
can woman, with her deep religious and trustful nat-
ure burning in her soiil like (ire, lias a mngnetic power

SOJOURNER TRUTH. 147

over an audience perfectly astonnding. I was once
present in a religious meeting where some speaker
had alluded to the government of the United Stales,
and had uttered sentiments in favor of its Constitu-
tion. Sojourner stood, erect and tall, with her white
turl)an on her head, and in a low and subdued tone of
voice began by saying : ' Children, I talks to God and
God talks to me. I goes out and talks to God in de
fields and de woods. [The v/eevil had destroyed tliou-
sands of acres of wheat in the West that year.] Dis
morning I was walking out, and I got over de fence.
I saw de wheat a holding up its head, looking very
big. I goes up and takes holt ob it. You b'lieve it,
dere was no wheat dare ? I says, God [speaking the
name in a voice of reverence peculiar to herself], what
is de matter wid dis wheat ? and he says to me, " So-
journer, dere is a little weasel in it." Now I hears
talkin' about de Constitution and de ri^dits of man.
I comes up and I takes hold of dis Constitution. It
looks tnighty hig, and I feels for my rights, but der
aint any dare. Den I says, God, what ails dis Con-
stitution 1 lie says to me, " Sojourner, dere is a lit-
tle weasel in it." ' The effect upon the multitude was
irresistible.

" On a dark, cloiidy moraing, while she was our
guest, she was sitting, as she often was wont to do,
with her cheeks upon her palms, her elbows on her
knees; she lifted up her head as though she had just
wakened from a dream, and said, ' Friend Dngdale,
poor old Sojourner can't read a word, will you git me
de Bible and read me a little of de Scripter?' Oh,
yes, Sojourner, gladly, said I. I opened to Isaiah,

148 " P.OOK OF LIFE."

tlie 59th chapter. She listened as thoiigli an oracle
was speaking. When I came to the words, None
calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for trxith ; your
hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with
iniquity ; they conceive mischief, and biing forth in-
iquity ; they hatch cockatrice's eggs, and weave the
spider's web ; he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and
that wliich is crushed breaketh out into a viper, she
could restrain herself no longer, and, bringing her
great palms together with an emphasis that I shall
never forget, she exclaimed, ' Is dat thare ? "It shall
break out into a viper." Yes, God told me dat. I
never heard it read afore, nov> I know it double P Of
course her mind was directed to the heinous institu-
tion of American slavery, and she regarded these
terrible words of the seer as prophetic concerning its
fearful consequences.

" On one occasion, in a large reform meeting, where
many able and efficient public speakers were present,
Sojourner sat in the midst. One man, in defiance of
pi'opriety, was wasting the time of the meeting by
distasteful and indelicate declamation. Some, in de-
spair of his ending, were leaving the meeting. Oth-
ers, mortified and distressed, were silently enduring,
while the * flea of the Convention,' continiied to bore
it, nothing daunted. Just at a point where he
was forced to suspend long enough to take in a long
breath, Sojourner, who had been sitting in the back
part of the house with her head bowed, and groaning
in s[)irit, raised up her tall figiire befoi'e him, and,
putting her eyes upon him, said, ' Child, if de people
has no whar to put it, what is de use*? Sit down,

SOJOURNEll TRUTH. 140

cliild, sit duii:n!' The man dropped as it" he had been
shot, and not another word was heard from him.

" A friend rehxted the following anecdote to me :
In that period of the anti-slavery movement when
mobocratic violence was often resorted to, one of its
W most talented and devoted advocates, after an able ad-
dress, was followed by a lawyer, who appealed to the
lowest sentiments — was scurrilous and abusive in the
sup>8rlative degree. Alluding to the colored race, he
compared them, to monkeys, baboons, and ourang-
outangs. When he was about closing his inflamma-
tory speech, Sojoui-ner quietly drew near to the i)lat-
form and whispei'ed in the ear of the advocate of her
people, ' Do n't dirty your hands v/id dat critter ; let
me 'tend to him !' The speaker knew it was safe to
trust her. ' Children,' said she, straightening herself
to her full hight, ' I am one of dem monkey tribes.
I was born a slave. I had de dirty work to do — de
scullion work. Now I am going to 'ply to dis critter '
— pointing her long, bony finger with withering scorn
at the petty lawj^er. ' Now in de course of my time
I has done a great deal of dirty scullion work, but of
all de dirty work I ever done, dis is de scullionist and
de dirtiest.' Peering into the eyes of the auditory
with just such a look as she could give, and that no
one could imitate, she continued : ' Now, children,
don't you jylty meV She had taken the citadel by
storm. The whole audience shouted applause, and
the negro-haters as heartily as any.

" I was present at a lai'go religious convention.
Love in the family had been portrayed in a manner
to touch the better nature of the auditor v. Just as

150 " BOOK OF LIFE,"

the meeting was about to close, Sojourner stood up.
Tears were coursing down her furrowed cheeks. 8he
said : ' We has heerd a great deal about love at home
in de family. Now, children, I was a slave, and my
husband and my children was sold from me.' The
pathos with which she uttered these words made a
deep impression upon the meeting. Pausing a mo-
ment, she added : ' Now, husband and children is all
"one, and what has ^come of de affection I had for
dem? Dat is de question before de housed The peo-
ple smiled amidst a baptism of tears.

" Let food and raiment be given her. There are
many in the land who will be made richer by seeing
that this noble woman shares their bounty ; and then,
when her Lord shall come to talk with her, and take
her into his presence chamber, and shall say, ' So-
journer, lacked thou anything?-' she may answer,
' Nothing, Lord, either for body or soul.'

"J. A. D.

^^ Near Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, 1803."

In April, 1863, a lengthy account of Sojourner's life
was published in the Atlantic Monthly, entitled, "So-
journer Truth, the Libyan Sibyl," written by JNIrs.
II. B. Stowe. This graphic sketch not only gave
Sojourner greater notoriety, but added fresh laurels
to Mrs. Stowe's increasing fame as an authoress. The
description of her person and the portrayal of her char-
acter are so vivid that it linds a iitting place in her
Look of Life, and is here fully given.

THE LIBYAN SIBYL. . 151

SOJOURNER TRUTIP, THE LIBYAN SIBYL.

j\laiiy years ago, the few readers of radical abo-
litionist papers must often have seen tlie singular
name of Sojourner Truth, announced as a frecpient
speaker at anti-slavery meetings, and as traveling on
a sort of self-appointed agency througli the country.
I had myself often remarked the name, but never met
the individual. On one occasion, when our house was
filled with company, several eminent clergymen being
our guests, notice vv^as brought up to me that Sojourner
Truth was below, and requested an interview. Know-
ing nothing of her but her singular name, I went down,
})repared to make the interview short, as the press-
ure of many other engagements demanded.

When I went into the room, a tall, spare form arose
to meet me. She was evidently a full-blooded Afri-
can, and though now aged and v^^orn with many hard-
ships, still gave the impression of a physical dc\-elop-
ment which in early yoiith must have been as line a
specimen of the torrid zone as Cumberworth's cele-
brated statuette of the Negro Woman at the Fount-
ain. Indeed, she so strongly reminded me of that
Ijgure, that, when I recall the events of her life, as she
narrated them to nie, I imagine her as a living, breath-
ing impersonation of that work of art.

I do not recollect ever to have been conversant with
any one who had more of that silent and subtle power
which we call personal presence than this woman. In
the modern spiritualistic jihrascology, she would be
described as having a strong sphere. Her tall form,
as she rose up before me, is still vivid to my mind.

152 . "BOOK OF LIFE."

She was dressed in some stout, grayish stuff, neat and
clean, tliougli dusty from travel. On her head she
Avore a bright Madras handkerchief, an-anged as a
turban, after the manner of her race. She seemed
perfectly self-possessed and at her ease ; in fact, there
was almost an unconscious superiority, not unmixed
with a solemn twinkle of humor, in the odd, com-
posed manner in which she looked down on me. Her
whole air had at times a gloomy sort of drollery which
impressed one strangely.

" So this is you" she said.

" Yes," I answered.

" Well, honey, de Lord bless yc ! I jes' thought I'd
like to come an' have a look at ye. You's heerd o' mo,
I reckon] " she added.

" Yes, I think I have. You go about lecturing, do
you not?'

" Yes, honey, that's what I do. The Lord has made
me a sign iinto this nation, an' I go round a-testifyin,'
an' showiu' on em' their sins agin my j'eople."

So saying, she took a seat, and, stooping over and
crossing her arms on her knees, she looked down on
the floor, and appeared to fall into a sort of reverie.
Her great, gloomy eyes and her dark face seemed to
work with some undercurrent of feeling ; she sighed
deeply, and occasionally broke out,

" 0 Lord ! 0 Loixl ! Oh, the tears, an' the groans,
an' the moans, O Lord ! "

I should liavo said that she Avas accompanied by a
little gnuidson of ten years — the fattest, jollicst wool-
ly-headed little specimen of Africa that one can im-
agine, Ho was grinning and showing his glistening

THE LIBYAN SIBYL. 153

white teeth in a state of perpetual merriment, and at
this moment broke out into an audible giggle, which
disturbed the reverie into which his relative was fall-
ing.

She looked at him with an indulgent sadness, and
then at me.

" Laws, ma'am, he don't know nothin' about it, he
don't. Why, I've seen them poor critters beat an'
'bused an' hunted, brought in all torn- — cars hangin'
all in rags, where the dogs been a bitin' of 'em ! "

This set oil' o\ir little African Puck into another
giggle, in which he seemed perfectly convulsed. She
surveyed him soberly, without the slightest irritation.

" Well, you may bless the Lord, you can laugh ;
but I tell you, 't wa'n't no laughin' matter.

By this time I thought her manner so original that
it might be vrorth while to call down my friends ; and
she seemed perfectly well pleased with the idea. An
audience was what she wanted — it mattered not
whether high or low, learned or ignorant. She had
things to say, and was ready to say them at all times,
and to any one.

I called down Dr. Beecher, Professor Allen, and
two or three other clergymen, v/ho, together with my
husband and family, made a roomful. No princess
could have received a drawing-room with more com-
posed dignity than Sojourner her audience. She stood
among them, calm and erect, as one of her own native
pidm-trees waving alone in the desert. I presented
one after another to her, and at last said —

" Sojourner, this is Di'. Beecher. lie is a Acry cel-
ebrated preacher,"

154 "BOOK OF LIFE."

'*' Is lie 1 " she said, offering her hand in a conde-
sccmling manner, and looking down on his -white head.
" Ye dear himb, I 'm ghid to see ye ! De Lord Ijless
ye ! I loves pi'eachei's. I 'm a kind o' preacher my-
self."

" You are 1 " i-aid Dr. Beecher. " Do you preach
from the Bible r'

" No, honey, can't preach from de Bible^ — can't read
a letter."

" Why, Sojourner, what do you i)reach from, then 1 "

Her answer was given with a solemn power of
voice, peculiar to herself, that hushed every one in the
room.

"When I })reaches, I has jest one text to preach
from, an' I always preaches from this one. Mi/ text
is, ' When I found Jesus ! '

" Well, you could n't have a better one," said one of
the ministers.

She paid no attention to him, but stood and seemed
swelling with her own thoughts, and then began this
narration : —

" Well, now, I 'II jest have to go back an' tell ye
all about it. Ye see we was all brought over from
Africa, father, an' mother an' I, an' a lot more of us ;
an' we v/as sold up an' down, an' hither an' yon ; an'
I can 'juember, Avhen I Avas a little thing, not bigger
than this 'ere,' pointing to her grandson, ' how my
ole nunnmy would sit out o' doors in the eveniu,' an'
look up at the stars an' groan. She'd groan, an groan,
an' says I to her,

'• * Mammy, what makes you groan so 'i '

" An' she 'd sav,

THE LIBYAN SIBYL, 155

" ' Matter enongli, chile ! I'm groanm' to tliink o'
my poor children : they don't know v/here I be, an' I
don't know whore they be ; they looks up at the stars,
an' I looks up at the stars, but I can't tell where they
be.

"'Now,' she said, 'chile, when you're grown up,
vou may be sold away from your mother an' all your
old friends, an' have great troubles come on ye ; an'
when you has these troubles come on ye, ye jes' go to
God, an' he'll help ye.'

" An says I to her,

" ' Who is God, anyhow, mammy 1 '

" An' says she,

" ' Why, chile, you jes' look up dar. It'.s him that
made all dem ? '

"Well, I did n't mind much 'bout God iii them days.
I grev/ up pretty lively an' strong, an' could row a
boat, or ride a horse, or work round, an' do 'most any-
thing.

" At last I got sold away to a real hard massa an'
missis. Oh, I tell you they ivas hard ! 'Feared like I
couldn't please 'em nohow. An' then I thought o'
what my old mammy told me about God ; an' I thought
I 'd got into trouble, sure enough, an' I wanted to find
God, an' I heerd some one tell a story about a man
that met God on a threshin'-lloor, an' I thought, well
•an' good, I '11 have a threshin'-floor, too. So I went
down in the lot, and I threshed down a i)lace real
hard, an' I used to go down there every day, an' pray
an' cry with all my might, a-[)rayin' to the Lord to
make my massa an' missis better, but it didn't seem
to do no good ; and so says I, one day.

156 " J'.OOK OF Lib'E."

" ' O God, I been a-askin' ye, an' askin' ye, an uskiu'
ye, for all this long time, to make my raassa an' mis-
sis better, an' you do n't do it, an' what can be (be
reason 1 Why, maybe you cant. AVell, I sliould n't
wonder if you could n't. Well, now, I tell you, I '11
make a bargain with you, Ef you '11 help me to git
away from my massa an' missis, I '11 agree to be good ;
but ef you do n't help me, I really do n't think I can
be. Now,' says I, ' I want to git av/ay ; but the
trouble's jest here ; ef I try to git away in the night,
I can't see ; an' ef I try to git away in the day-time,
they'll see me an' be after me.'

" Then the Lord said to me, ' Git up two or three
hours afore daylight, an' start oil'.'

"An' says I, 'Thank'ee Lord ! that's a good thought.'

" So up I got about three o'clock in the mornin',
an' I started an' traveled pretty fast, till, when the
sun rose, I was clear away from our place an' our
folks, an' out o' sight. An' then I begun to think I
did n't know nothin' where to go. So I kneeled down,
and says I,

'"Well, Lord, you've started me out, an' now please
to show me where to go.'

" Then the Lord made a house appear to me, an'
he said to me that I was to walk on till I saw that
house, an' then go in an' ask the people to take me.
An' I traveled all day, an' did n't come to the house
till late at night ; but when I saw it, sure enough, I
went in, an' I told the folks that the Lord sent me ;
an' they was Quakers, an' real kind they was to me.
They jes' took me in an' did for me as kind as ef I 'd
been one of 'em ; an' after they 'd giv ms supper, they

THE LIBYAN STEYL. 157

hook mc ill to a room where tliore was a groat, taU,
white bed ; an' they tokl me to sleep there. Well,
honey, I was kind o' skeered when they left me ajono
with that great white bed ; 'cause I never had been
in a bed in my life. It never came into my mind
they could mean me to sleep in it. An' so I jcs'
camped down under it, on the floor, an' then I slep'
pi'ctty well. In the mornin', when they came in,
tliey asked me ef I had n't been asleep ; an' I said,
'Yes, I never slep' better,' An' they said, 'Why,
you hav n't been in the bed ! ' An' says I, ' Laws,
you did n't think o' sech a thing as my sleepin' in dat
'ar' bed, did you 1 I never heered o' sech a thing in
my life.'

" Well, ye see, honey, I stayed an' lived with 'em.
An' now jes' look here : instead o' keepin' my pi'om-
ise an' bein' good, as I told the Lord I wo\ald, jest as
soon as everything got agoin' easy, I forgot all ahovf
God.

" Pretty well do n't need no help ; an' I gin up
pray in.' I lived there two or three years, an' then
the slaves in New York were all set free, 'an ole
massa came to our house to make a visit, an' he asked
me ef I did n't want to go 1 jack an' see the folks on
the ole place. An' I told him I did. 8o he said, ef
I 'd jes' git into the wagon with him, he 'd carry me
over. Well, jest as I was goin' out to get into the
wagon, I met God! an' says I, 'O God, I didn't know
as you was so great !' An' I turned right round an'
come into the house, an' set down in my room ; for
'twas God all around me. I could feel it burnin',
biirnin', burnin' all around me, an' goin' throiigh me ;

158 "BOOK OF LIFE."

an' I saw I was so wicked, it seemed as of it wonld
l)iu"n me up. An' I said, ' O somebody, somebody,
stand between God an' me ! for it burns me !' Then,
honey, wlien I said so, I felt as it were somethin' like
an amheriU [umbrella] that came between me an' the
light, an' I felt it was somehody — somebody that stood
between me an' God ; an' it felt cool, like a shade ;
an' says I, ' Who's this that stands between me an'
God ] Is it old C:.ito 1 ' He was a pious old preacher ;
but then I seemed to see Cato in the light, an' he was
all polluted an' vile, like me ; an' I said, ' Is It old
Sally]' an' then I saw her, an' she seemed jes' so.
An' then says I, ' If Via is this?' An' then, honey, for
awhile it was like the sun shinin' in a pail o' water,
when it moves up and down ; for I begun to feel
t' was somebody that loved me ; an' I tried to know
him. An' I said, 'I know you ! I know you ! I know
you !' An' then I said, ' I don 't know you ! I don 't
know you ! I don 't know yoix ! ' An' when I said,
'I know you, I know you' the light came; an' when
I said, 'I don't know you, I don't know you,' it
went jes' like the sun in a pail o' water. An' finally
somethin' spoke out in me an' said, 'This is Jesus I'
An' I spoke out witli all my might, an' says I,
'This is Jesus! Glory be to God!' An' then the
whole world grew briglxt, an' the trees they waved
an' waved in glory, an' every little bit o' stone on
the groimd shone like glass; and I shouted an'
said, 'Praise, praise, praise to the Lord!' An' I
begun to feel sech a love in my soul as I never felt
before — love to all creatures. An' then, all of a sud-
den, it stojjped, an' I ^aid, ' Dar 's de white folks that

TTIE LIBYAN SIBYL. 159

have abused yon, an' beat yon, an' almsecl yonr people
— think o' them !' But tJien there came another rusli
of love through my soiil, an' I cried out loud — 'Lord,
Lord, I can love even de v)liite folks /'

" Honey, I jes' walked round an' round in a dream.
Jesus loved me ! I knowed it — I felt it. Jesus was
my Jesus. Jesus would love me always. I did n't
dare tell nobody; 'twas a great secret. Everything
had been got away from me that I ever had ; an' I
thought that ef I let white folks know about this,
maybe they'd get lllm away — ^so I said, 'I'll keep
this close. I wont let any one know,'"

"Bat, Sojourner, had you never been told about
Jesus Christ?"

"No, honey. I hadn't heerd no preachin' — betfci
to no meetin.' Nobody hadn't told me. I'd kind
o' heerd of Jesus, but thought he was like Gineral
Lafayette, or some o' them. Bat one night there was
a Methodist meetin' somewhere in our parts, an' I
went; an' they got up an' begun for to tell der
'speriences: an' de fust one began to speak. I started,
'cause he told about Jesus. ' Why,' .says I to myself,
' dat man's foiind him, too !' An' another got up an'
spoke, an' I said, 'He's found him, too !' An' finally
I said, ' Why, they all know him !' I was so happy !
An' then they sung this hymn " (Here Sojourner
sang, in a strange, cracked voice, but evidently with
all her soul and might, mispronouncing the English,
bat seeming to derive as much elevation and comfort
from bad English as from good) : —

1 C,{) " r.OOK OF T,TFE."

"There is a holy city,

A world of light above,
Above the stairs and regions,*
Built by the (!od of love.

"An everlasting temple.

And saints arrayed in white,

There serve their great liedeeiiier

And dwell with him in light.

"The meanest child of glory
Outshines the radiant siin ;
But who can speak the splendor
Of Jesus on liis throne ?

"Is this the Man of Sorrows
Who stood at Pilate's bar,
Condemned by haughty ITerod
And ])y his men of war I

"He seems a mighty conqueror,
Who spoiled the powers below,
And ransomed many captives
From everlasting Avoe.

' ' The hosts of saints around him
Proclaim his work of grace,
The patriarchs and prophets.
And all the godly race,

"Who speak of fiery trials

And tortures on their way ;
They came from tribulation
To everlasting day.

"And what shall be my journey,
How long I '11 stay below,

'^' Ptiirry regions.

THE LIBYAN SIBYL. 161

Or what shall be my trials,
Are not for me to know.

"In every day of trouble

I '11 raise my thoughts on high,
I '11 think of that bright temple
And crowns above the sky."

I put in this whole hymn, because Sojourner, car-
ried away with her own feeling, sang it from begin-
ning to end with a tx'iumphant energy that held the
whole circle around her intently listening. She sang
with the sti-ong barbaric accent of the native African,
and witli those indescribable upward turns and those
deep gutturals which give such a wild, peculiar povrer
to the negro singing — but above all, with such an-
overwhelming energy of personal ajipropriation tliat
the hymn seemed to be fused in the furnace of her
feelings and come out recrystalHzed as a production of
her own.

It is said that Rachel was wont to chant the " Mar-
seillaise " in a manner that made her seem, for the
time, the very spii-it and impersonation of the gaunt,
wild, hungry, avenging mob which rose against aristo-
cratic opi)re6sion ; and in like manner, Sojourner, sing-
ing this hymn, seemed to impersonate the fervor of
Ethioi)ia, wild, savage, hunted of all nations, but
burning after God in her tropic heart, and stretching
her scarred hands towai'd the glory to be revealed.

" Well, den ye see, after a while I thought 1\\ i-o
back an' see de folks on de ole place. Well, you know
de law had passed dat de culled folks was all free ; an'

C

162 "BOOK OF LIFE."

my old missis, slie had a dauglitex' married about dis
timo who went to live in Alabama — an' what did she
do but give her my son, a boy about de age of dis yer,
for her to take doAvn to Alabama 1 When I got back
to de ole place, they told me about it, an' I went right
up to see ole missis, an' says I,

" ' Missis, have you been an' sent my son away down
to Alabama 1 '

" ' Yes, I have,' says she ; ' he's gone to live witli
your young missis.'

'' ' Oh, Missis,' says I, ' how could you do it 1 '

" ' Poh ! ' says she, ' what a fuss you make about a
little nigger ! Got more of 'em now than you know
what to do with,'

<* I tell you, I stretched up. I felt as tall as the
world !

" ' Missis,' says I, ' I'll have iny sun hack agin ! '

" She laughed.

" ' You will, you nigger? How you goin' to do iti
You ha'n't got no money.'

" ' No, Missis — but God has — an' you'll see he'll
help me ! — an' I turned round an' went out.

" Oh, but I tvas angry to have her speak to me so
haughty an' so scornful, as ef my chile was n't worth
anything. I said to God, ' 0 Lord, render unto her
double ! ' It was a dreadful prayer, an' I did n't know
how true it would come.

" Well, I did n't rightly know which way to turn ;
but I went to the Lord, an' I said to him, * O Lord,
ef I was as rich as you be, an' you was as poor as I
be, I'd help you — you knotv I wotild ; and, oh, do lu;]p
me ! ' An' I felt sure then that he would.

THE LIBYAN SIBYL. 163

" Well, I talked with people, an' they said I must
git the case before a grand jnry. So I went into the
town when they was holdin' a court, to see ef I could
find any grand jmy. An' I stood round the court-
house, an' when they was a-comin' out, I walked right
up to the grandest lookin' one I could see, an' says I
to him : —

" ' Sir, be you a grand jury 1 '

" An' then he wanted to know why I asked, an' I
told him all about it ; an' he asked me all sorts of
questions, an' finally he says to me : —

'* ' I think, ef you pay me ten dollars, that I'd agree
to git your son for you.' An' says he, pointin' to a
house over the way, * You go 'long an' tell your story
to the folks in that house, an' I guess they'll give you
the money.'

" Well, I went, an' I told them, an' they gave me
twenty dollars ; an' then I thought to myself, ' Ef ten
dollars will git him, twenty dollars will git him mar-
tin.' So I cai'ried it to the man all out, an' said,

" ' Take it all — only be sure an' git him.'

" Well, finally they got the boy brought back ; an'
then they tried to frighten him, an' to make him say
that I was n't his mammy, an' that he did n't know
me ; but they could n't make it out. They gave hiai
to me, an' I took him and carried hiui home ; an'
when I came to take off his clothes, there was his
poor little back all covered with scars an' hard lumps,
where they'd flogged him.

" Well, you see, honey, I told you how I pi-ayedthe
Lord to render unto her double. Well, it came true ;
for I was up at ole missis' hous^ not long after, an' 1

164) "BOOK OF LIFE."

heerd 'em readin' a letter to her how her daiighter's
husband had murdered her — how he'd thrown her
down an' stamped the life out of her, when he was in
liqtior ; an' my ole missis, she giv a screech, an fell
flat on the floor. Then says I, ' O Lord, I did n't
mean all that ! You took me up too quick.'

" Well, I went in an' tended that poor critter all
night. She was out of her mind — a cryin', an' callin'
for her daughter ; an' I held her poor ole head on my
arm, an' watched for her as ef she'd been my babby.
An' I watched by her, an' took care on her all through
her sickness after that, an' she died in my arms, poor
thing ! "

" Well, Sojourner, did you always go by this name ?"

" No, 'deed ! My name was Isabella ; but when I
left the house of bondage, I left everything behind.
I wa'n't goin' to keep nothin' of Eg}^pt on me, an' so
I went to the Lord an' asked him to give me a new
name. And the Lord gave me Sojourner, because I
was to travel up an' down the land, showin' the peo-
ple their sins, an' bein' a sign unto them. Afterward
I told the Lord I wanted another name, 'cause every-
body else had two names; and the Lord gave me
Truth, because I was to declare the truth to the people.

" Ye see some ladies have given me a white satin
banner," she said, pulling out of her pocket and un-
folding a white banner, printed with many texts, such
as, " Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all
the inhabitants thereof," and others of like nature.
" Well," she said, " I journeys round to camp-meetin's,
an' wherever folks is, an' I sets up my banner, an'
then I sings, an' then folks always comes up round

THE LIBYAN SIBYL. 165

me, an' tlien I preaches to 'em. I tells 'em about Je-
sus, an' I tells 'em about the sins of this people. A
great many always comes to hear me j an' they're right
good to me, too, an' say they want to hear me agin."

We all thought it likely ; and as the company left
her, they shook hands with her, and thanked her for
her very original sermon ; and one of the ministers
was overheard to say to another, " There's more of
the gospel in that story than in most sermons."

Sojourner staid several days with us, a welcome
guest. Her convei-sation was so strong, simple,
shrewd, and with such a droll flavoring of humor, that
the Professor was wont to &ay of an evening, " Come,
I am dull, can't you get Sojourner up here to talk a
little 1 " She would come up into the parlor, and sit
among pictures and ornaments, in her simple stuff
gown, with her heavy traveling shoes, the central ob-
ject of attention both to parents and children, always
ready to talk or to sing, and putting into the common
flow of convex'sation the keen edge of some shrewd re-
mark.

" Sojourner, what do you think of women's
Eights 1 "

" Well, honey, I 's ben to der meetins, an' harked
a good deal. Dey wanted me fur to speak. So I got
up. Says I, ' Sisters, I a'n't clear what you'd be after.
Ef women want any rights more'n dey's got, why
don't dey jes' take 'em^ an' not be talkin' about if?'
Some on 'em came round me, an' asked why I did n't
wear bloomers. An' I told 'em I had bloomers enoui^h
when I was in bondage. You see," she said, "dey used
to weave what dey called nigger cloth, an' each one of

16C "BOOK OF LIFE."

ns got jes' sech a strip, an' had to wear it widtli-wise.
Them that was short got along pretty well, but as for

me " She gave an indescribably droll glance at her

long limbs and then at us, and added, "Tell yoti, I
had enough of bloomers in them days."

Sojourner then proceeded to give her views of the
relative capacity of the sexes, in her own way.

" S'pose a man's mind holds a quart, an a woman's
do n't hold but a pint ; ef her pint is full, it's as good
as his quart."

Sojourner was fond of singing an extraordinary
lyi'ic, commencing,

" I'm on my way to Canada,

That cold, but happy, land ;
The dire efl'ects of slavery
I can no longer stand.

0 righteous Father,

Do look down on me,
And help me on to Canada,

Where colored folks are free ! "

The lyric ran on to state that, when the fugitive
crosses the Canada line,

' ' The qvieen comes down imto the shore,
With arms extended wide,
To welcome the poor fugitive
Safe onto freedom's side."

In the truth thus set forth she seemed to have the
most simple faith.

But her chief delight was to talk of " glory," and to
sing hymns whose burden was,

THE LIBYAN SIBYT,. TG7

"() glory, glory, glory,
Won't you come along with me 1 "

and when left to herself, she would often hum these
with great delight, nodding her head.

On one occasion, I remember her sitting at a win-
dow singing and fervently keeping time with her head,
the little black Puck of a grandson meanwhile amus-
ing himself with ornamenting her red-and-yellow tur-
ban with green dandelion curls, which shook and
trembled with her emotions, causing him perfect con-
vulsions of delight.

" Sojourner," said the Professor to her, one day,
when he heard her singing, "you seem to be very
sure about Heaven."

" Well, I be," she answered, triumphantly.

" What makes you so sure there is any Heaven 1 "

" Well, 'cause I got such a hankerin' arter it in
here," she said — giving a thump on her breast with her
usual energy.

There was at the time an invalid in the house, and
Sojourner, on learning it, felt a mission to go and
comfort her. It was curious to see the tall, gaunt,
dusky figure stalk up to the bed with svxch an air of
conscious authority, and take on herself the office of
consoler with such a mixture of authority and tender-
ness. She talked as from above — and at the same
time, if a pillow needed changing or any office to be
rendered, she did it with a strength and handiness
that inspired trust. One felt as if the dark, strange
woman were quite able to take up the invalid in her
bosom, and bear her as a lamb, both physically and

IGS "r.OOK OF LIFE."

spiritually. There was both power and sweetness in
that great warm soul and that vigorous frame.

At length, Sojourner, true to her name, departed.
She had her mission elsewhere. Where now she is I
know not ; but she left deep memories behind her.

To these recollections of my own I will add one
more anecdote, related by Wendell Phillips.

Speaking of the power of Rachel to move and l)ear
down a whole audience by a few simple words, he
said he never knew but one other human being that
liad that power, and that other was Sojourner Truth.

He related a scene of which he was witness. It
was at a crowded piiblic meeting in Faneuil Hall,
where Frederick Douglas was one of the chief speak-
ers. Douglas had been describing the wrongs of the
black race, and as he proceeded, he grew more and
more excited, and finally ended by saying that they
had no hope of justice from the whites, no possible
hope except in their own right arms. It must come
to blood ; they must fight for themselves and redeem
themselves, or it would never be done.

Sojoui'ner was sitting, tall and dark, on the very
front seat, facing the platform; and in the hush ot
deep feeling, after Douglas sat down, she spoke out
in her deep, peculiar voice, heard all over the house,

"Frederick, is Cod dead ?"

The effect was perfectly electrical, and thrilled
through the whole house, changing as by a flash the
whole feeling of the ai;dience. Not another word she
said or needed to say ; it was enough.

It is with a sad feeling that one contemplates noble
minds and bddios, nobly and grandly fovincd human

THE LIBYAN Sir.YL. 109

lieings, that have come to us cramped, scarred, maimed,
out of the prisou-liouse of bondage. One longs to
know what snch beings might have become, if sulFered
to unfold and expand under the kindly developing in-
fluences of education.

It is the theory of some writers that to the African
is reserved, in the later and palmier days of the earth,
the full and harmonious development of the religious
element in man. The African seems to seize on
the tropical fervor and luxuriance of Scripture im-
agery as something native ; he appears to feel himself
to be of the same blood with those old burning, sim-
ple souls, the patriarchs, prophets, and seers, whose
impassioned words seem only grafted as foreign plants
on the cooler stock of the occidental mind.

I cannot but think that Sojourner with the same
culture might have spoken words as eloquent and x\n-
dying as those of the African Saint Augustine or Ter-
tullian. How grand and queenly a woman she might
have been, with her wonderful physical vigor, her
great heaving sea of emotion, her power of spiritual
conception, her quick penetration, and her boundless
energy ! We might conceive an African type of wom-
an so largely made and moulded, so much fuller in
all the elements of life, physical and spiritual, that the
dark hue of the skin should seem only to add an ap-
propriate charm — as Milton says of his Penseroso,
whom he imagines

" Black, but such as in esteem
Prince Memnon's sister might beseem,
Or that starred Ethiop queen that strove
To set her beauty's praise above
The sea- nymph's."

170 "BOOK OF LIFE."

But tliougli Sojoiu-ncr Truth liiis [)asscd away fi'om
among us as a wave of the sea, her memory still lives in
one of the loftiest and most original works of modern
art, the Libyan Sibyl, by Mr. Story, which attracted so
much attention in the late World's Exhibition, Some
years ago, when visiting Rome, I related Sojourner's
history to Mr, Story at a breakfast at his house. Al-
ready had his mind begun to turn to Egypt in search
of a type of art which should represent a larger and
more vigorous development of nature than the cold
elegance of Greek lines. His glorious Cleopatra was
then in process of evolution, and his mind was work-
ing out the problem of her broadly developed nature,
of all that slumbering weight and fullness of passion
with which this statue seems charged, as a heavy
thunder-cloud is charged with electricity.

The history of Sojoui-ner Truth worked in his mind
and led him into the deeper recesses of the African
nature — those unexplored depths of being and feeling,
mighty and dark as the gigantic depths of tropical
forests, mysterious as the hidden rivers and mines of
that burning continent whose life-history is yet to be.
A few days after, he told me that he had conceived
the idea of a statue which he should call the Libyan
Sibyl. Two years subsequently, I revisited Eome,
and found the gorgeous Cleopatra finished, a thing to
marvel at, as the creation of a new style of beauty, a
new manner of art. Mr, Story recjuested me to come
and repeat to him the history of Sojourner Truth,
saying that the conception had never left him. I did
so ; and a day or two after, he showed me the clay
model of the Libyan Sibyl, I have never seen the

THE LIBYAN SIFA'T,. 171

marble statue ; but am told by those wlio have, that
it was by far the most impressive work of art at the
Exhibition,

A notice of the two statues from the London Athe-
nceuj7i must supply a description which I cannot give.

" The Cleopatra and the Sibyl are seated, partly
draped, with the characteristic Egyptian gown, that
gathers about the torso and falls freely around the
limbs ; the first is covered to the bosom, the second
bare to the hips. Queenly Cleopatra rests back against
her chair in meditative ease, leaning her cheek against
one hand, whose elbow the rail of the seat sustains ;
the other is outstretched upon her knee, nip[)ing its
forefinger upon the thumb thoughtfully, as though
some firm, willfid purpose filled her brain, as it seems
to set those luxurious features to a smile as if the
whole woman 'woidd.' Upon her head is the coif,
bearing in front the mystic urceus, or twining basilisk
of sovereignty, while from its sides depend the wide
Egyptian lappels, or wings, that fall upon her shoul-
ders. The Sibilla Lihica has crossed her knees — an
action universally held amongst the ancients as indica-
tive of reticence or secrecy, and of power to bind. A
secret-keeping looking dame she is, in the full-bloom
proportions of ripe womanhood, wherein choosing to
place his figure the sculptor has deftly gone between
the disputed point whether these women were blooming
and wise in youth, or deeply furrowed with age and
burdened with the knowledge of centuries, as Virgil,
Livy, and Gellius say. Good artistic example might be
quoted on both sides. Her forward elbow is propped
upon one knee; and to keep her secrets closer, for

172 " BOOK OF TJFE."

this Libyan woman is the closest of all the sibyls,
she rests her shut mouth upon one closed palm, as if
holding the African mystery deep in the brooding
brain that looks out through mournful, warning eyes,
seen under the wide shade of the strange horned (Am-
monite) crest, that bears the mystery of the Tetra-
grammaton upon its upturned fi'ont. Over her full
bosom, mother of myriads as she was, hangs the same
symbol. Her face has a Nubian cast, her hair wavy
and plaited, as is meet."

We hope to see the day when copies both of the
Cleopatra and the Libyan Sibyl shall adorn the Capi-
tol at Washington.

Near the close of the article Mrs. Stowe said, " So-
journer has passed away from among lis as a wave of
the sea." But as the wave describes larger circles in
its outward bound course, so has her life become more
significant as she has been borne forth into the ocean
of life. Her work was then but just begun, and her
record since that time shows a faith in the power of
truth, a devotion in the cause of humanity, and a
perseverance in the accomplishment of her p\;rposes
which command attention and resi)ect. She had been
around "a testifying," but now other duties were
superadded. To the great work being done for the
soldiers, she lent a helping hand, seeking every op-
portunity to aid them. The first colored troops that
enlisted from Battle Creek encamped in Detroit. As
the thanksgiving season ap])roached. Sojourner pro-
posed that the citizens of that city should send
the *' boys " a dinner, to which they cordially re-
sponded. Tn her soliciting rounds, she met a gentle-

DAY AT CAMP WARD. 173

man whom slie invited to donate for the entertaLiiment.
He refused to do so, and made some severe remarks
about the war, the nigger, &c. Much surprised, she
asked him who he was. He replied, " I am the only
son of my mother." " I am glad there are no more,"
said she, and passed on. Several large boxes, con-
taining the luxuries of the season, not forgetting the
fattened turkey, were dispatched by the generous peo-
ple of the town with Sojourner as distributor, De-
troit papers spoke of her efforts commendingly.

"GALA DAY AT CAMP WARD.

"Address by Sojourner Truth. — The colored sol-
diers at Camp Ward had a regular jubilee last Friday.
About eleven o'clock a can-iage drove up before Col.
Bennett's quarters laden with boxes and packages
containing all manner of delicacies for ' the boys ',
sent from Battle Creek. Sojourner Truth, who car-
ries not only a tongue of fire, but a heart of love, was
the bearer of these offerings. The Colonel ordered
the i-egiment into line ' in their best ' for the presenta-
tion, which was made by Sojourner, accompanied by
a speech glowing with patriotism, exhortation, and
good wishes, which was responded to by I'ounds of
enthusiastic cheers. At the close of the ceremony,
Sojourner spent an hour or two among the soldiers in
motherly conversation, and assisting in opening the
boxes and distributing ^their contents, which the re-
cipients diaposed of with hearty good-will.

" Sunday afternoon, according to appointment, So-
journer went up to the camp to deliver another ad-

174 " BOOK OF LIFE."

dress to the soldiers, but so large a crowd of white
citizens were gathered to hear that her inspirations
were devoted almost exclusively to their ears, with a
promise of a future discourse for the soldiers. At the
close of the lecture, a handsome collection was volun-
teered for the benefit of the speaker. — Advertiser and
Tribune."

In the spring of 1864, a brief article in the same
journal mentioned her having gone to Washington to
see Mr Lincoln.

"To the Editor of the Advertiser and Tribune.
" Many of our citizens are doubtless acquainted
with the name of Sojourner Truth, have seen racy
anecdotes of her from time to time in the newspai)ers,
read Harriet Beecher Stowe's narrative of her in the
Atlantic Monthly, and remember her stay of several
months in this city five or six years ago. Those who
called upon her at that time, were richly entertained
by her original remarks, her ready wit, and the sto-
ries of her wonderful life. She was then full of in-
tense interest in the war, and foresaw its i-esult in the
emancipation of her race. It was touching to see her
eager face when the newspapers were read in her
[)resence. She would never listen to Mrs. Stowe's
'Libyan Sibyl'. 'Oh!' she would say, 'I don't
want to hear about that old symbol ; read me some-
thing that is going on noio, something aboxit this
great war.' She had utter faith in Abraham Lincoln.
To a friend who was impatient with his slow move-
ments she said, ' Oh, wait, chile ! have patience ! It
takes a great while to turn about this great ship of
State.' Toward spring she made ready for a journey

VISIT TO BROOKLYN. 175

to Washington, to see Mr. Lincoln. ' I shall surely
go,' she said, ' I never determined to do anything and
failed.' And she did go — the brave-hearted, indomit-
able old woman — despite her light purse and heavy
burden of seventy-seven years."

8he left Battle Creek in June, but did not immedi-
ately go to Washington. A New York paper says of
her : —

" Sojourner has been some months in New York,
speaking in many places with great acceptance, and is
now in this city, where she will speak this evening in
the lecture room of the Unitarian Church, corner of
Lafayette Avenue and Shelby Street. Let those who
enjoy an original entei'tainment hear her. She is
trying to pay off a mortgage on her little house in
Battle Creek. Give her a full house, and a generous
contribution, liemember that here in the North, in
the State of New York, she was robbed, by our race
and by our laws, of forty years of her life. Do we
not owe her, from abundant fullness, some compensa-
tion for those years with their entailed sorrow 1

" ' There is that scattereth and yet increaseth.'
" ' The soul of the liberal man waxeth fat.'

" ' The Lord lovetli the cheerful giver.'

"c. E. c.

From New York she v.^ent to Brooklyn, and spoke
in Plymouth Church, where a collection of $100 was
taken up for her. A Brooklyn paper speaks of her
as follows : —

" Sojourner Truth, whom the newspapei's lately
described as dying, reported herself in person to us
last week, a living contradiction of the falwc ruuiur.

17G "BOOK OF LIFE,

)>

The old lady says that, so far from being at the point
of death, she has not experienced for many months
any symptom of sickness. Her age is now eighty,
but her spirit continues as youthful as ever. On
Sunday morning she heard Mr. Beecher's opening ser-
mon of the season, which she called ' a feast for her
poor old soul.' Sojourner's conversation is witty,
sarcastic, sensible, and oftentimes profound. Her
varied experience during a long life gives her a rich
and deep fountain to draw upon for the entertainment
and instruction of her friends, and her reminiscences
and comments are equally interesting both to grown
folks and children. She looks and acts as if she
might live to be a hundred years old. She has up-
lifted her voice to two generations of mankind, and
may yet become sibyl and prophetess to a third."

Sojourner reached Washington during the autumn,
and in due time made her long-contemplated visit to
the president.

THE STORY OF HER INTERVIEW WITH THE
PRESIDENT.

The following letter from Sojourner Truth, writ-
ten by a friend at her dictation, was addressed to
Rowland Johnson, who has kindly handed it to us
for publication. Our readers will be glad to see So-
journer's own account of her visit to the president.

" Fiieedman's ViLLAGii, Va., Nov. 17, ISIil.

" Deau Fjubnd : —

" I am at Freednum's Village. After visiting the
president, I spent three weeks at Mrs. Svvisshelm's^

INTEBVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT. 177

and held two meetings in Washington, at llev. Mr,
Garnet's Presl>yterian Church, for the benefit of the
Coloi'cd Sokliers' Aid Society. These meetings were
successful in raising funds. One week after that I
went to Mason's Island, and saw the freedmen there,
and held several meetings, remained a week and was
present at the celebration of the emancipation of the
slaves of Maryland, and spoke on that occasion.

" It was about 8 o'clock a. m., when I called on the
president. Upon entering his reception room we
found about a dozen persons in waiting, among them
two colored women. I had quite a pleasant time
■waiting until he was disengaged, and enjoyed his con-
versation with others ; he showed as much kindness
and consideration to the colored persons as to the
whites — if there was any difference, more. One case
was that of a colored woman who was sick and likely
to 1)0 turned out of her house on account of her in-
ability to pay her rent. The president listened to
her with much attention, and spoke to her with kind-
ness and tenderness. He said he had given so much
he could give no more, but told her where to go and

get the money, and asked Mrs. C -n to assist her,

which she did.

"The president was seated at his desk. ]\Irs. C.
said to liim, 'This is 8ojoui-ner Truth, who has come
all the way from Michigan to see you.' He then
arose, gave me his hand, made a l)0w, and said, ' I am
pleased to see you.'

" I said to him, Mr. President, when you first took
your seat I feared you would be torn to pieces, for I

D

178 "BOOK OF LIFE

}>

likoned yon unto Daniel, who was thrown into the
lion's den; and if the lions did not tear you into
pieces I knew that it would be God that had saved
you ; and I said if he spared me I would see you be-
fore the foiir years expired, and he has done so, and
now I am here to see you for myself.

"He then congratulated me on my having been
spared. Then I said, I appreciate you, for you are
the best president who has ever taken the seat. He
replied : * I expect you have reference to my hav-
ing emancipated the slaves in my proclamation. But,'
said he, mentioning the names of several of his prede-
cessors (and among them emphatically that of Wash-
ington), 'they were all just as good, and would have
done just as I have done if the time had come. If
the people over the river [pointing across the Poto-
mac] had behaved themselves, I could not have done
what I have ; but they did not, which gave me the
opportunity to do these things.' I then said, I thank
God that you were the instrument selected by him
and the people to do it. I told him that I had never
heard of him before he was talked of for president.
He smilingly replied, ' I had heard of you many times
before that.'

" He then showed me the Bible presented to him
by the colored people of Baltimore, of which you have
no doubt seen a description. I have seen it for my-
self, and it is beautiful beyond description. After I
had looked it over, I said to him, This is beautiful in-
deed ; the colored people have given this to the head
of the government, and that government once sanc-
tioned laws that would not permit its people to learn

INTEBVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT. 170

enotigh to enable them to read this l)Ook. And for
what 1 Let them answer who can,

" I must say, and I am proud to say, that I never
was treated by any one with more kindness and cor-
diality than were shown to me by that great and good
man, Abraham Lincoln, by the grace of God president
of the United States for four years more. He took
my little book, and with the same hand that signed
the death-warrant of slavery, he wrote as follows :
" 'For Aimty Sojourner Truth,
■ " 'Oct. 29, 18G4. A. Lincoln.'

"As I was taking my leave, he arose and took my
hand, and said he would be pleased to have me call
again. I felt that I was in the presence of a friend,
and I now thank God from the bottom of my heart
that I always have advocated his cause, and have done
it openly and boldly. I shall feel still more in duty
boimd to do so in time to come. May God assist me.
" Now I must tell you something of this place. I
found things quite as well as I expected. I think I
can be useful and will stay. The captain in command
of the guard has given me his assistance, and by his
aid I have obtained a little house, and will move into
it to-morrow. Will you ask Mrs. P., or any of my
friends, to send me a couple of sheets and a pillow 1
I find many of the women very ignorant in relation
• to house-keeping, as most of them were instructed in
field labor, but not in household duties. They all
seem to think a great deal of me, and want to learn
the way we live in the North. I am listened to with
attention and respect, and from all things, I judge it is

ISO "P.OOK OF LIFE."

tlie will of both Clod and the people tliat I slionld re-
main.

" Now when you come to Washington, do n't forget
to call ai.d see me. You may publish my wherea-
bouts, and anything in this letter you think would in-
terest the friends of Freedom, Justice, and Truth, in
the Sicmdard and Anglo-African, and any other paper
you may see fit.

"Enclosed please find four shadows [carte de visites].
The two dollars came safely. Anytliing in the way
of nourishment you may feel like sending, send it
along. The captain sends to Washington every day.
Give my love to all v.'ho inquire for me, and tell my
friends to direct all things for me to the care of Capt.
George B. Carse, Freed man's Village, Va. Ask Mr.
Oliver Johnson to please send me the Standard while
I am here, as many of the colored people like to hear
what is going on, and to know what is being done for
them. Sammy, my 'grandsoD, reads for thtm. We
are both well, and happy, and feel that we are in good
employment. I find plenty of friends.

"Your friend, Sojourner Truth."

" The colored population of Baltimore have procured
the most beautiful Bible ever manufactured in this
country, to be presented to the President of the United
States. The cover bears a large plate of gold, repre-
senting a slave with his shackles falling from him in
a cotton field, stretching out his hands in gratitude to
President Lincoln for the freedom of the slave. At
the feet of the freedman there is a scroll bearing upon
its face the word ' Emancipation,' in large letters. On
the reverse cover is another gold plate containing the

INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT. 181

following inscription : * To Abraham Lincoln, Presi-
dent of the United States, the friend of universal
freedom, by the loyal colored people of Baltimore, as
a token of respect and gratitude. Baltimore, July
4th, 1864.' The book is enclosed in a walnut silver-
mounted box. The entii-e affair cost $5,800."

Although in Sojourner's estimation Abraham Lin-
coln was the " foremost man of all this world," yet no
idle curiosity prompted her to ask this interview. "--^
From the head of the nation she sought that author-
ity which would enable her to take part in the awful
drama which was enacting in this Republic, and that
being obtained, she at once entered upon her work.

When we follow her from one field of labor to an-
other, her time being divided between teaching,
preaching, nursing, watching, and praying, ever ready
to counsel, comfort, and assist, we feel that, for one
who is noljody but a Avoman, an unlettered woman, a
black woman, and an old woman, a woman bom and
bred a slave, nothing short of the Divine incarnated
in the human, could have wroiight out such grand
results.

In December she received the following commission
from the National Freedman's Belief Association : — ■

"New York, Dec. 1, 1864.
" This certifies that The National Freedman's Be-
lief Association has appointed Sojourner Truth to be
a counselor to the freed people at Arlington Heights,
Va., and hereby commends her to the favor and confi-
dence of the officei's of government, and of all persons
vf\}0 take an interest in relieving the condition of the

182 "BOOK OF LIFE.

freedmen, or in promoting their intellectual, moral,
and i-eligious instruction.

" On belialf of the N. F. E. Association,

"E. G. Shaw, President,

" Charles C. Lkigh,

" Chairman of Home Com."

Sojourner spent more than a year at Arlington
Heights, instructing the women in domestic duties,
and doing much to promote the general welfiire. She
especially deprecated their filthy habits, and strove t<)
inspire them with a love of neatness and order. On
the Sabbath she preached to large and attentive con-
crecations, and was once heard to exclaim, "Be clean !
be clean ! for cleanliness is godliness."

Liberty was a stranger to these poor people. Hav-
ing but lately been introduced to the goddess, they
had never yet so much as touched the tips of her
lovely fingers, and dared not raise their bowed heads
to steal even a sidelong glance at her radiant face.
Thus, being wholly unfamiliar with her divine attri-
butes, they often submitted to grievous wrongs from
their old oppressors, not presuming to expostulate.
The Marylanders tormented them by coming over,
seizing, and carrying away their children. If the
mothers made a "fuss," as these heartless wretches
called those natural expressions of grief in which be-
reaved mothers are apt to indulge, they were thrust
into the guard- house. When this was made known
to Sojourner, she told them they must not permit
such outrages, that they were free, and had rights
which would be recognized and maintained by the

AT WOllK IN TiiE HOSPITAL. 183

laws, and that they could bring these robbers to
justice.

Tiiis was a revelation indeed, for they had never
known that freedom meant anything more to them
than being no longer obliged to serve a master, and
at liberty to lounge about in idleness. But her elec-
trifying v/ords seemed to inspire them with new life
and to awaken the latent spirit within them which,
like fire in flint, had lain torpid for ages, but, unextin-
guished and unextinguishable, awaited only favorable
conditions to escape in freedom. The manhood and
womanhood of these crushed people now assei-ted it-
self, and the exasperated Marylanders threatened to
put Sojourner into the guard-house. She told them
that if they attempted to put her into the guard-
house, she '' would make the United States rock like
a cradle."

Soon after the Freedmen's Bureau vras established,
Sojourner was appointed to assist in the hospital, as
the following letter will show : —

" WAR DEPARTMENT,
" Bureau of Refugees, Frhedmen, axd Abandoxed Laxds.
" Washington, Septemiei' 13, 1SG5.

'• Sojourner Truth has good ideas about the indus-
try and virtue of the colored people. I commend her
energetic and faithful efforts to Surgeon Gluman, in
charge of Freedmen's Hospital, and shall be happy to
have him give her all facilities and authority so far
as she can aid him in promoting order, cleanliness,
industry, and virtue among the patients.

'•John Eaton, Jii.,
" (JoL and Assistant Commissioner.^'

184 "BOOK OF LIFE."

■

While Sojourner was engaged in the hospital, she
often had occasion to procure articles from various
l»arts of the city for the sick soldiers, and would some-
times be obliged to walk a long distance, carrying her
burdens upon her arm. She would gladly have
availed herself of the street cars ; but, although there
was on each track one car called the Jim Crow car,
nominally for the accommodation of colored peo})lo,
yet should they succeed in getting on at all they would
seldom have more than the privilege of standing, as
the seats were iisually filled with white folks. Un-
willing to submit to this state of things, she com-
plained to the president of the street railroad, who
ordered the Jim Crow car to be taken off. A law
was now passed giving the colored people equal car
privileges with the white.

Not long after this, Sojourner, having occasion to
ride, signaled the car, but neither conductor nor
driver noticed her. Soon another followed, and she
raised her hand again, but they also turned away.
She then gave three tremendous yelps, "I want to
ride ! / want to ride I ! I want to ride ! ! ! Con-
sternation seized the passing crowd — })eoplc, carriages,
go-carts of every description stood still. The car was
effectually blocked up, and before it could move on,
Sojourner had jumped aboard. Then there arose a
great shout from the crowd, " lla ! ha ! ha ! ! She
has beaten him," &c. The angry conductor told her
to go forward where the horses were, or he would put
her out. Quietly seating herself, she informed him
that she was a passejiger. " Go forward wliere tlie
horses are^ or I will throw you out," said ho in !x men-

INCIDENT AT GEORGETOWN. 185

acini,' voice. She told him that she was neither a
Mai-ylander nor a Virginian to fear his threats ; but
was from the Empire State of New York, and knew
the laws as well as he did.

Several soldiers were in the car, and Mdien other
passengers came in, they related the circumstance
and said, " You ought to have heard that old woman
talk to the conductor." Sojourner rode farther than
she needed to go ; for a ride w;ig so rare a privilege
that she detei-mined to make the most of it. She left
the car feeling very happy, and said, " Bless God ! I
hav^e had a ride."

Returning one day from the ( )rphan's Ilon)e at
Georgetown, she hastened to reach a car; but they
paid no attention to her signal, and kept ringing a
bell that they might not hear her. She ran after it,
and when it stopped to take olflier passengers, she suc-
ceeded in overtaking it and, getting in, said to the
conductor, " It is a shame to make a lady run so,"
He told her if she said another word, he would put
her off the car, and came forward as if to execute his
threat. She replied, " If you attempt that, it will
cost you more than your car and horses are worth."
A gentleman of dignified and commanding manner,
Avearing a general's uniform, intei'fei'ed in her behalf,
and the conductor gave her no further trouble.
• At another time, she was sent to Georgetown to
obtain a nurse for the hospital, which being accom-
plished, they went to the station and took seats in an
empty cai', but had not proceeded far before two la-
dies came in, and seating themselves o})posite the col-
ored woman began a whispered conversation, fre-

18G " iiOUK OF LIFE."

quently casting scornful glances at the latter. The
nurse, for the first time in her life finding herself in
one sense on a level with white folks and being much
abashed, hung her poor old head nearly down to her
lap ; but Sojourner, nothing daunted, looked fearlessly
about. At length one of the ladies called out, in a
weak, faint voice, " Conductor, conductor, does nig-
gers ride in these cars 1" He hesitatingly answered,
" Ye yea-yes," to which she responded, " 'T is a shame
and a disgrace. They ought to have a nigger car on
the track." Sojourner remarked, " Of course colored
people ride in the cars. Street cars are designed for
poor white, and colored, folks. Carriages are for la- 1
dies and gentlemen. There are carriages [pointing
out of the window], standing ready to take you three
or four miles for sixpence, and then you talk of a nig-
ger car 1 ! ! " Promptly acting upon this hint, they
arose to leave. " Ah ! " said Sojourner, " now they
are going to take a carriage. Good by, ladies."

Mrs. Laura Haviland, a widely known philanthro-
l)ist, spent several months in the same hospital and
sometimes went about the city with Sojourner to pro-
cure necessaries for the invalids. Returning one day,
being much fatigued, jMrs. Haviland proposed to take
a car although she was well aware that a white })er-
son was seldom allowed to ride if accompanied by a
black one. " As Mrs. Haviland signaled the car," says
Sojourner, " I step])ed one side as if to continue my
walk and when it stopped I ran and jumped aboard.
The conductor pushed me back, saying, ' Get out of
the way and let this lady come in.' Whoop ! said I,
I am a lady too. We met with no further opposition

SCENE IN A STREET CAR. 187

till we were obliged to change cars. A man coming
out as we were going into the next car, asked the
conductor if 'niggers were allowed to ride.' The
conductor grabbed me by the shoulder and jerking me
around, ordered me to get out. I told him I would
not. Mrs. Haviland took hold of my other arm and
said, 'Don't put her out.' The conductor asked if I
belonged to her. ' No,' replied Mrs. Haviland, ' She
belongs to humanity.' ' Then take her and go,' said he,
and giving me another push slammed me against the
door. I told him I would let him know whether he
coxild shove me about like a dog, and said to Mrs.
Haviland, Take the number of this car.

" At this, the man looked alarmed, and gave us no
more trouble. When we arrived at the hospital, the
surgeons were called in to examine my shoulder and
found that a bone was misplaced. I complained to
the pi-esident of the road, who advised me to arrest
the man for assault and battery. The Bureau fur-
nished me a lawyer, and the fellow lost his situation.
It created a great sensation, and before the trial was
ended, the inside of the cars looked like pepper and
salt; and I felt, like Poll Parrot, 'Jack, I am riding.'
A little cii'cumstance will show how great a change a
few weeks had produced : A lady saw some colored
women looking wistfully toward a car, when the con-
ductor, halting, said, ' Walk in, ladies.' Now they
who had so lately cursed me for wanting to ride,
could stop for black as well as white, and could even
condescend to say, 'Walk in, ladies.'"

The city of Washington was now literally swarming
with a class of people who had by the war been

188 " BOOK OF LIFE."

thrown upon tlie surface of society like mud from a
volcano, and who were not unlike that article in respect
to being dirty and entirely unfitted by a want of con-
tact with refining and favorable influences to obtain
and maintain a hold upon civilization. A report from
the superintendent of police will help to explain their
condition :■ — -

"CONDITION OF THE DESTITUTI^: COLORED
I'EOrLE OF THE DISTRICT.

" In the Senate, on Tuesday, while the bill reported
by Senator Morrill appropriating $25,000 for the re-
lief of destitute colored people of the District was un-
der consideration, the following letter from Superin-
tendent of Police Richards was read : —

"DEPARTMENT OF METROPOLITAN POLICE.
"Office of Sup't, 483 Tenth st., west,
" Washington; March G, 1866.

" Gentlemen : —

" I have the honor at this time to submit a report,
based mainly upon personal insi)ection, of the sanitary
condition of certain localities in the city of Washing-
ton, inhabited by colored people, mostly known as
' contrabands,' together with certain other facts con-
nected with the condition of these people.

"The first locality visited is known as 'Murder
Bay,' and is situated between Thirteenth and Fif-
teenth Streets west, below Ohio Avenue, and bordering
on the Washington Canal. Here crime, filth, and i)OV-
erfy seem to vie with each other in a career of degrada-
tion and death. Whole families^ consisting of fatliers,

THE COLORED TEOrLE, ISO

raothei's, children, uncles, and aunts, according to
their own statements, are crowded into mere apologies
for shanties, which are without light or ventilation.
Durinir the storms of rain or snow their roofs alford
but slight protection, while from beneath a few rough
boards used for floors the miasmatic eflluvia from the
most disgustingly filthy and stagnant water, mingled
with the exhalations from the uncleanscd bodies of
numerous inmates, render the atmosjdiei'e within
these hovels stifling and sickening in the extreme.
Their rooms are usually not more than six or eight
feet square^ with not a window or even an o})ening
(except a door) for the admission of light. Some of
the rooms are entirely surrounded by other rooms, so
that no light at all reaches where persons live and
spend their days and nights. In a space about fifty
yards square I found about one hundred families,
composed of from three to ten persons each, living in
shanties one story in hight, except in a few instances
where tenements ai'e actually built on the tops of oth-
ers. There is a distance of only three or four feet
separating these buildings from each other — not even
as convenient as an ordinary three-feet alley. These
openings lead in so devious a course that one with
dilficulty finds his way out again. Thus pent up, not
even tliese })aths are purified by currents of fresh air.
In one building visited, seventeen families were found
upon the ground floor, consisting of from two to seven
persons' each, one restaurant, and one boarding-house.
The second story is a large dance hall, where these
people nightly congregate for amusement.

" Kearly all of these people came from Virginia

190 "BOOK OF LIFE."

during the rebellion, and some of them propose to re-
turn v/henever they are assured that they can find
work to do there, and will be well treated. It was
found that from five to eight dollars per month are
paid for the rent of these misei'able shanties, except
in some instances, where a ground rent of three dol-
lars per month is paid for a little spot covering a few
square feet— there some of the more enterprising haA^e
erected cabins of their own. These, also, are in equally
close proximity to each other, so that it is with diffi-
culty that one can ci-owd between them.

" On the west side of Fourteenth Street near the
same locality, are a large number of small buildings,
which, however, are kept in a somewhat more cleanly
condition, and are opened to light and ventilation.
Here some of the occupants of houses boast of small
back yards, but so low and wet are their surfaces that
they are a curse rather than a benefit. Filthy water
here accumulates, from which, with the advent of
warm weather, the seeds of disease must spread among
and destroy these wretched people.

" In each of these localities there are no proper
privy accomodations, and those that exist are in a
leaky and filthy condition generally. Nor can the
sanitary laws be properly enfoi'ced against delinquents,
for they have no means wherev/ith to pay fines, and a
commitment to the work-house is no punishment. I
can see no efficient mode of remedying this evil ex-
cept that scavengers be employed at the public ex-
pense, to visit these localities ; though by far the best
remedy would be to require that these buildings be
razed to the ground.

THE COLORED PEOPLE. 101

" Under tlie best sanitary laws that can be enacted,
and stringently enforced, these places can be considered
as nothing better than propagating grounds of crime,
disease, and death ; and in the case of a prevailing
epidemic, the condition of these localities would be
horrible to contemplate.

"A similarly crowded lot of shanties exists on
Rhode Island Avenue, between Tenth and Eleventh
Streets, though as to fresh air and cleanliness, a some-
what better condition of things exists. Here, in a
space some two hundred feet square, two hundred and
thirteen persons reside, mostly known as 'contra-
bands.' There are several other places equally
crowded within the city limits, wliicli I have not yet
had time to visit and inspect personally ; for which
purpose I respectfully ask for further time.

" A. C. Richards, Suj^'L

" To the Board of Police."

Sojournei', witnessing the afflictions of her people,
and desiring to mitigate their sufferings, found homes
and employment for many in the Northern States,
government furnishing transportation for all. In
the winter of 18G7, she made three trips from
Rochester to a town about 200 miles south of Rich-
mond, to obtain laborers for those localities left desti-
tute by the war ; but she soon came to see that this
was not the best mode of procedure, as it cost a
gi-eat amount of labor, time, and money to locate the
young and strong, leaving the oged and little children
still uncared for.

The imagination can scarcely conceive a more har-
rowing spectacle than the vast multitude, composed

102 " V.OOK OF T,TFE."

of both sexes, unci all ages fioiii liel})less infiiiicy to
tremulous senility, roaming al)ont, having no posses-
sions but the bodies wliich had recently been given
them by a dash of Abraham lancoln's pen. Miuging
to and fro, tliis motley crowd coiild claim no more of
mother earth than sufliced for standing room, and
were liable at any time to be ordered, like Joo, " to
move on."

Thus they wei-e borne upon the waves of society as
a wrecked ship npon the sea, stri})ped of spar and sail,
rudder and -compass, tempest tossed upon the black
and sullen deep, with no ray of light to illumine its
pathway of gloom. The heads of government, seeing
and commiserating their liapless state, established
what was called the Freedman's Bureau as a measure
of relief, and by its orders each ward daily furnished
to the refugees 700 loaves of bread, which served to
sustain life, but was inadequate to meet the emer-
gency ; for civilization has needs which cannot be
supplied by bread alone.

It was sad to see the hungry mass stretch forth its
hand, seize the proffered loaf, seek a spot where it
might be devoured, and idle away the time till another
loaf was due. And could the ]>ui'eau have ministered
to all their wants, would not this mode of life Ijeoomc
productive of enormous evils, since the habits it ft)s-
tered, having been engendered by the system of slav-
ery, needed no such encouragement 1 This institution
was emphatically the necessity of the hour, but neither
wisdom nor prvidence would advise its continuance.

The race was increasing at a rapid rate, and the
drain upon the national ti-easuvy would become ex-

THE COLORED PEOPLE. 193

haustive. Still, justice demanded that government
take efficient legislative action in the interest of these
people, whom the genius of General Butler had de-
nominated contrabands, as some reward for years of
uncompensated services. Nations anxiously watching
the scales in which this government and its dependent
millions must be weighed, waited to render their ver-
dict. Advancement moves v.nth slow and feeble pace.
The new hinges ujion the old. In obtaining freedom,
these people were separated from many things, for
which, as yet, they had received no equivalent. Those
who had not where to lay their heads thought of the
rude cabin once their home, in pleasant contrast with
the present couch of earth, canopied by the over-arch-
ing sky. Languishing with homesickness, the worst
of ailments, they were a striking counterpart of those
sorrowing captives who, sitting by the rivers of Bab-
ylon, hung their harps upon the willows and wept for
remembered joys.

Their coarse food and clothing cost them no thought
while in slavery. But in a moment comes a change.
Now, all thought and action must be bent upon self
sup})ort. But from transmitted habits many were
powerless to exercise the functions of the brain in
planning for the future, and, though they had arrived
at man's estate, must be cared for like children. As
Sojourner went about the city, she soon came to dis-
tinguish these contrabands. They had a dreamy look,
taking no note of time ; it seemed as if a pause had
come in their lives — an abyss, over whose brink they
dared not look. With so few resources, with be-
clouded minds, with no education from books or con-

E

194 "BOOK OF LIFE."

tact with the world, aside from plantation life — stran-
gers in a strange land, hungiy, thirsty, ragged, home-
less, they were the very impersonation of Despair,
humbly holding out her hands in supplication.

Sojourner had known the joys of motherhood —
brief joys, for she had been cruelly separated from her
babes, and her mistress' children given to occupy tlio
place which nature designed for her own. She had
tasted its sorrows, too — such sorrows as Rachel, weep-
ing for her childi-en because they were not, could
never feel. She had drained the cup of woe to the
very dregs, and its fumes, like liquid fires, had dried
the fountain of tears till there were none to flow.

But many years had passed since that season of
affliction. The shackles had been removed from her
body, and si)irit also. Time dissolves the hardest sub-
stance—'tis called the great destroyer— it reconstructs
as well. As the divine auroi'a of a broader culture
dispelled the mists of ignorance, love, the most pre-
cious gift of God to mortals, permeated her soul, and
her too-long-suppressed affections giished from the
sealed fountains as the waters of an obstructed river,
to make new channels, bursts its embankments and
rushes on its headlong course, powerful for weal or
woe. Sojourner, I'obbed of her own offspring, adopted
her race. Happy for the individual, good for human-
ity, when high aspirations emanate from sad experi-
ences !

The forlorn and neglected children who j)rowled
about the city excited her commiseration ; for tliey
had neither homes nor emi)loyment, and as idleness is
the parent of crime, they were becoming exceedingly

THE COLORED PEOPLE. 195

vicious. As a punishment for misdemeanors, they
were sent to the station house, from which, after serv-
ing their time, they were released, only to continue
the same destructive course. Slavery's teachings had
bedimmed their perceptions of right, and rendered
them incapable of continued moral effort; for her
blighting influence, worse than a millstone about their
necks, tended to drag them downward forever and
forevermore.

Intelligently appreciating the law of transmitted
tendencies. Sojourner looked upon them as sinned
against as well as sinning. Knowing that the children
were the future nation, and that those of her I'aco
would play no unimportant part in that future, she
felt the need of enlisting sympathy, either human or
superhuman, in their behalf Aided by Gen. How-
ard, she held meetings in one of the largest churches
of the city, to urge the establishment of industrial
schools, remote from the city, where they might be
placed and taught to become useful members of com-
miiuity. Had she possessed the power and influence
of the hiunane and philanthropic Gov. Bagley, insti-
tutions such as he has recently been instrumental in
establishing would have sprung into being, till home-
less, neglected children would have been no more.

The past she abhorred, with its coffles, its loaded
whips, auction blocks, brutal masters, overseers, and
all the fearful horrors accruing from the ownership of
man by his fellow-man ; the sufferings of the present
called out her dce})cst sympathies ; but as she peered
toward the future with sibyl eyes, her heart beat loud
and fast ; for she saw in it all grand possibilities.

19G "BOOK OF LIFE."

The angel of emancipation had rolled the stone away
from the door of the sepulcher of slavery, and the res-
urrected ruillions, bound hand and foot in the grave-
clothes of ignorance, bewildered and uncertain, awaited
guidance in this transition hour.

Would a Moses appear to remove the bands from
wrist and ankle, and with uplifted finger pointing to
the pillar of cloud and of promise, lead them forth from
this sea of troubles and plant their weary feet upon
the Canaan of their desires 1 Would manna descend
from heaven to feed this multitude, who were morally,
physically, and intellectually destitute? As neither
man nor miracle appeared. Sojourner said, " Lord, let
me labor in this vineyard."

But how begin the work of establishing right rela-
tions where chaos reigns 1 Justice must constitute the
bottom round in this ladder of progress, up which the
race must mount in the struggle to reach liigher con-
ditions. How can justice be secured?

As she looked about upon the imposing public edi-
fices that grace the J)isti'ict of Columbia, all built at
the nation's expense, she said, " Wc helped to pay this
cost. We have been a source of wealth to this repub-
lic. Our labor supplied the country with cotton, until
villages and cities dotted the enterprising North for
its manufacture, and furnished employment and sup-
port for a multitude, thereby becoming a revenue to
the government. Beneath a burning southern sun
have we toiled, in the canebrakc and the rice swamp,
urged on by the merciless driver's lash, earning mill-
ions of money ; and so highly were we valued there,
that should one poor wretch venture to escape from

SAGACIOUS PPvEDICTION. 197

this hell of slavery, no exertion of man or trained
blood-hound was spared to seize and return him to
his field of unrequited labor.

"The overseer's horn awoke us at the dawning of
day from our half-finished slumbers to pick the disgust-
ing worm from the tobacco plant, which was an added
source of wealth. Our nerves and sinews, our tears
and blood, have been sacrificed on the altar of this na-
tion's avarice. Our unpaid labor has been a stepping-
stone to its financial success. Some of its dividends
must surely be ours."

Who can deny the logic of her reasoning^ The
prophet* of the nineteenth century said, many years
ago, that " our nation will yet be obliged to pay sigh
for sigh, groan for groan, and dollar for dollar, to this
wronged and outi-aged race." Ah, me ! what an aw-
ful debt when we consider that every mill of interest
will surely be added ! Did mothei's and wives whose
husbands and sons languished and died in Libby and
Andersonville ever think of that prophecy? Does
this nation realize that the debt is still unpaid 1 the
note not taken up yet 1

She knew that the United States owned countless
acres of unoccupied land, which by ciiltivation would
become a source of wealth to it. She also saw that
it was given to build railroads, and that large reserva-
.tions were apportioned to the Indians. Why not give
a tract of land to those colored people who would
rather become independent through their own exei'-
tions than longer clog the wheels of government ?

It seemed to Sojourner that the money expended

* Parker Pillsbury.

198 "BOOK OF LIFE."

upon officials, in jiist this District alone, to convict
and punish these vagabond children, would be amjde
to provide for them homes with the accessories of
cliurch and school-house and all the necessaiy require-
ments of civilization. With God's blessing, they
might yet become an honor to the country which had
so cruelly wronged them. This scheme presented itself
to her mind as a divine I'evelation, and she made haste
to lay her plan before the leading men of the govern-
ment. They heard her patiently, expressed them-
selves willing to do the peojjle's bidding ; but mani-
fested no enthusiasm. She regretted now, as ever,
that women had no political rights under government ;
for she knew that could the voice of maternity be
heard in the advocacy of this measure, the welfai'o,
not only of the present genei'ation, but of future ones,
would be assured.

As it requires Ijoth the male and female element to
propagate and successfully rear a family, so the State,
being only the larger family, demands l)oth for its life
and proper development. As those who had the
power to legislate for the carrying out of this measure,
regarded it indiiferently, and those who would gladly
work for its accomplishment lacked political oppor-
tunity, some other measure must be adopted. She
thought that whatever else had been denied to woman,
she had ever been allowed to stand on praying ground,
and that through petition she might be able to i-each
the head and heart of the government, or rather half
the head and half the heart, as only in this proportion
have they ever been re])resented in our country's legis-
lation. She therefore dictated the following petition : —

TETITION TO CONGRESS. 199

"To THE Senate and House of Representatives,

in Congi-ess assembled : —

" Whereas, From tlie faithful and earnest represen-
tations of Sojourner Truth (who has personally inves-
tigated the matter), we believe that the freed colored
people in and about Washington, dependent upon
government for support, would be greatly benefited
and might become useful citizens by being placed in a
position to support themselves : We, the undersigned,
therefore earnestly request your honorable body to set
apart for them a portion of the public land in the
West, and erect buildings thereon for the aged and in-
firm, and otherwise legislate so as to secure the de-
sired results."

The vitalizing forces of her nature were now fully
aroused and deeply earnest. Slie felt that her life
culminated at this point, and that all her previous ex-
periences had been needful to prepare her for this
crowning work. Being convinced of the feasibility
and justice of this plan, she hastened to present her
petition to the public, and solicit signatiires. Her
first lecture for this object was delivered in Provi-
dence, R. I., in Feb., 1870, to a large and apprecia-
tive audience.

THE VOICE OF THE PRESS.

" The renowned Sojourner Truth spoke in the town
hall last evening, and gave one of her peculiar and
forcible appeals, distinguished for native wit, elo-
quence, and religioiis pathos. The burden of her
message was the urgent necessity for colonizing in the

200 " BOOK OF LIFE."

West, on land whicli she calls u^ion government to
give them, the large number of freed people collected
in and around Washington. During the war, at the
request of President Lincoln, Sojourner spent much
time among these people to do them good. With that
clear insight and native good sense for which she is
remarkable, she saw that the course pursued by gov-
ernment, in supporting them by charity instead of
putting them in the way of sustaining themselves,
was working immense mischief. True statesmanship
demands that govei'nment give them lands in the West,
thus paying a little of the great debt we owe this long-
oppi-essed people, while at the same time leading them
to support themselves, to enrich the nation, and be-
come useful citizens. Sojourner wants the people to
petition Congress to do this work at once. At this
very time, as appears by a letter read at the meeting
last evening, some of the freedmen are dying of star-
vation, right in sight of our national capitol. Peti-
tions have been placed in the hands of friends of this
movement, and it is hoped every person will sign as
soon as opportunity is oftered." — s. n., in Northamp-
ton (JlFass.) 2Mpcr.

FROM FALL RIVER PAPERS.

" Sojourner Truth— the colored American Sibyl —
is spending a few days in our city, and will gladly
welcome any of her old or new friends at the house of
Robert Adams, Esq., on Pock Street. She bears her
foui'-score years with ease, showing no signs of decay,
but conversing on all familiar topics with a clearness
of apprehension that would hardly be expected of one

THE FALL RIVER TAPERS. 201

wlio has passed throngli the varied unpleasant experi-
ences which have fallen to her lot. Give her a call,
and enjoy a half hour with a ripe understanding, and
don't forget to purchase her photograph."

" Sojourner Truth — the colored American Sibyl —
will speak in the vestry of the Franklin Street Church,
on Monday evening. Come and hear an oriyinal."

" Sojourner Truth. — Sojourner Truth had a good
audience at the Christian Church, last evening, and
delivered a very unique and interesting address.
IVIany more would have attended had they been aware
how pleasantly the evening would have been spent in
comjjany with the aged philosopher. Her theme was
the duty of the North to the emancipated negroes.
Many of her photogi-aphs were purchased. It is not
impossible that she may speak again during her stay
here."

" Sojourner Trxith will speak at the vestry of the
First M. E. Church, to-morrow evening, Friday, Oct.
14th, at a quarter before 8 o'clock. This will proba-
l)ly be the last opportunity, at least for some time,
that our citizens will have of hearing this interesting
and decidedly original character."

" Sojourner Truth had a large audience in the ves-
try of the First M. E. Church, last evening, and was
listened to with intei*est for somewhat more than an
hour. She will remain here a few days longer, at Mr.
Robert Adams'."

"Sojourner Truth. — Your readers will notice
that this eminent coloi-ed lady will discourse this

202 "BOOK OF LIFE."

evening, at the vestry of the Eirst Methodist Church,
on Main Street, on various topics. Her utterances
at the Franklin Street Church, on Monday evening
last, drew out quite an audience, wliich was exceed-
ingly entertained hy her instructive remarks ; but as
very limited notice was previously given, thei'e was
not the attendance from the male sex which she
wished to see, as her talk is on a matter that pecul-
iarly interests tax-payers. This ancient saint has
given largely of her time to the Lettering of the con-
dition of the freedmen at Washington, and in that
capacity has discovered certain abuses which should
be rectified. All who come to listen will learn how
some of the public money goes that is nominally ap-
propriated to feed the black paupers in Washington.
Her scheme for their improvement is practical, and
shoidd be put in ojieration at once.

"We hope onr friend James Buffington, who has a
voice in the administration of the money of the peo-
ple, will be present and take note of her points on
this matter. As a nomination here amounts to an
election, he may consider himself in for the next two
years, and can aid immensely in straightening out
this abuse. No gang of paupers should be allowed to
huddle together like pigs anywhere, and be fed out of
the public funds. Go and hear on the subject.

"Everybody, of course, knows of Sojourner Truth,
of her sad early life as an abject slave under the old
laws of New York, until she was forty years old ; of
her growth in wisdom which seemed born in her as
an inheritance ; of her active benevolences in all di-
rections; of her shrewd repartees and wise sayings

THE FALL RIVER PAPERS. 203

wliicli will go down as proverbs among the intelligent
for coming ages ; of her goodness as a nnrse to onr
sick and wounded soldiers when at an advanced age ;
of her sharp logic and pointed satire when warmed
up on subjects of interest.

" All these have been set forth by pens of power in
description, and will live in story for coming genera-
tions. 'The Lord never hearn tell on ye,' was her
comforting remark to a young clergyman very much
atllicted for fear the wouicn would get their rights.
'Is God dead, Frederick]' to Douglas, when fore-
casting the sad ftite of his race in the old slave days.
Don't come expecting fine rhetoric, finished grammar,
or dictionary pronunciation ; but if you want to hear
an earnest soul of eighty or more years, on the bor-
ders of the coming world, still young in the graces of
Christian charity, and ardent in the work assigned
her, talk of right and justice, and set them forth with
a spirit and skill that learned men might well envy,
turn out to-night. Do n't forget that she has photo-
graphs of herself for sale — her only means of support
for expenses of travel, livelihood, and a humble home
in Michigan — and that while she ' sells the shadow to
suppoi"t the substance/ it will probably be the last
time we shall see the lady among its. Don't forget
the hour — one-quarter before 8 o'clock this evening."

FROM NEW JERSEY RATERS.

" Springfield, Union County, New Jersey, and its
Presbyterian Church were honored on Wednesday
night by the presence of that lively old negro mummy,
whose age ranges among the hundreds — Sojourner

204 "BOOK OF LIFE."

Tratli — who fifty years ago was considered a crazy
woman ; wlio was wont to address street meetings and
Garrison abolition conventicles. She was smiiggled
into the church by some pions radical to give her re-
ligions experience ; and she did it — rather to the
confusion and disgust of the audience. AVhen re-
spectable churches consent to admit to the houses
opened for the worship of God every wandering negro
minstrel or street spouter who may profess to have a
peculiar religious experience, or some grievance to re-
dress, they render themselves justly liable to public
ridicule. The effects of our late civil war, which
brought many of our divines upon the political ros-
trum, and converted many of our pulpits into recmiit-
ing stations, we fear will not soon be I'emoved.

" Our Springfield correspondent writes .of the visit
of Sojourner Truth : —

" ' Mislike me not for my complexion.

The shadowed liv'ry of the burnished sun. '

" ' Thus Shakespeare. But we do most decidedly dis-
like the complexion and everything else appertaining to
Mrs. Truth, the radical— the renowned, saintly, liberat-
ed, oratorical, pious slave. The supeiintendent of the
Presbyterian Sunday-school, hearing such glowing
accounts of her, invited her to speak to his charge.
She spoke on the 1st inst., not on religion, but at ran-
dom, on copperhead Jersey, hypocrites, freemen, wom-
an's rights, etc., till the superintendent was forced
to call her to order. She is a crazy, ignoi'ant, repell-
ing negress, and her guardians would do a Christian
act to restrict her entirely to private life.'"

THE NEW JEKSEY PAPEKS. 205

"Sojourner Truth Defended. — Whenever I have
heard the State of New Jersey stigmatized, I have al-
ways resented its being used as a mark of derision and
a jest for scoffers ; but a circumstance that occurred
last week has proved it a fit land for missionaries to
enter with books to enlighten the inhabitants, and
purifiers with scourges to correct the people. The
village of Springfield, that prides itself on its great
age, had the honor of a visitor (no less a personage
than Sojourner Truth) — a dear creature, one of the
Lord's true servants, who has worked in his vineyard
for forty years, and who, at the great age of eighty,
instead of taking her ease during the infirmities of
old age, feels that as long as the Lord gives her
the breath of life she must work for his glory. Her
lame went through all the land many years ago, and
she numbers among her dearest friends the most in-
tellectual, renowned, and gifted men and women of
our land, and many are the weeks she has spent in
the homes of those dear to our people. She has held
happy converse with our lamented ])resident, and our
present one ; has spoken in Beecher's Church to thou-
sands, in many of our State capitol buildings, and our
nation's senate chamber. Tvirn from these happy
greetings and behold her welcome in New Jersey ! —
no, not there, but in a small, benighted corner, where
the people pride themselves on their being and re-
maining as a century ago. They were so ignorant a
people tlicy knew not they had a great guest, and
many had not even heard of Sojourner Truth. Then
they had so little good breeding they left during her
remarks, interrupting and showing disrespect to old

206 "BOOK OF LIFE."

age, which always commands respect. Then to show
their ignorance, their lilliptitian minds, they write of
her as being a crazy woman, an old mummy that ought
to be enclosed in an asylum. That is the testimony
of Springfield, N. J., to be placed by the side of beau-
tiful letters of cheer, volumes full of well- wishes and
blessings from such personages as Lincoln, Gen. Grant,
Henry Ward Beecher, Gen. Howard, Sumner, Phillips,
Anna Dickinson, Lucretia Mott, &c., etc., — men and
women we all long to meet and take by the hand, and
would be rejoiced to call our friends.

' ' ' By ignorance is pride increased ;
Those most assume who know the least ;
Their own self-balance gives them weight,
13ut every other fiinds them light.' — Gaifs Fahlcs.

"A New Springfield Correspondent."

" Sojourner Truth. — Sojouintr Truth, now about
fourscore yeai-s, who has devoted the whole of her
time during the last twenty yeais of her life to the
interests of the colored race, and during the late re-
bellion gave her personal service to the important
work of educating the freed men and women in the
moral, social, and domestic duties of life, without fee
or reward, is now engaged in getting signatures to a
})etition to Congress for the benefit of a large class of
dependent freedmen who may be found around Wash-
ington and other places in the South.

" Sojourner M'ruth is now at her home at Battle
Creek, in Michigan, and writes us a letter under date
of November 2'J, She has just returned from an ex-
tensive tour through Oliio, Indiana, Illinois, INlichi-

THE NEW JEESEY PAPERS. 207

gan, "Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas, and
wishes to carry lier petition, to wliicli she has obtained
many signatures, to Washington this winter, and pre-
sent it personally to Congress. She makes an appeal
for a little pecuniary aid to defray the expenses of her
journey, and gives information that a narrative of her
life will soon be published which will undoubtedly be

full of interest, as her life has been an eventful one.

R. J.
"Orange, N. J."

" Sojourner Truth addressed a good-sized audience
at the Unitarian Church on Wednesday evening, Jan.
1 2. Mr. Clute, in introducing her, said that he had
a three-fold pleasure in doing so. First, he was sure
the audience would be entertained by her varied ex-
perience of more than eighty years. Secondly, the
lectui'er was a negro, and her presence on the platfoi'm
Avas a living argument for the admission of her race
to all the privileges of society. Thii'dly, the lecturer
was a woman who has for many years affirmed that
woman's humanity gives her claim to education, la-
bor, and the ballot.

" The lecturer spoke for moi-e than an hoar in her
usual, humorous, common-sense style. She gave some
account of her thoughts when she was a heathen, and
said there was no little heathenism in the very heart
of the churches to-day. She spoke of the Fatherhood
of God, and of his loving care for all his children ; of
the brothei'hood of man and of the duty of men to la-
bor for each other. Her remarks were interspersed
Avith anecdotes fitly illustrating the subject, and had
such point and pungency as carried the truth home."

»

208 "BOOK OF LIFE.

FROM A WILLIAMSBURGH {L. I.) PAPER.

" Lecture of a Colored Woman. — The female lec-
turer, styling herself 'Sojourner Truth,' who was for
many years a slave, delivered a lecture last evening in
the Congregational Church, corner of South Third and
Eleventh Streets, WiHiamsburgh. The lecturer, who
is quite aged, commenced by saying that she was born
a slave in this State, and resided on the banks of the
North Pdver, near Albany, until the time of her eman-
cipation, which took place when she was — twenty-
five years of age. During that time she had five dif-
ferent masters, some of whom were very severe, and
she related with tears in her eyes the manner in
which she had been tied up in the barn, with her
clothes stripped from her back, and whijjped iintil the
blood stood in pools upon the floor ; and scars upon
her back were undeniable proofs of her assertion.
She had been twice married, and had five children,
the oldest being forty years of age. Her husbands
and children were torn from her and sold into bondage,
the youngest at the age of five years having been tak-
en to Alabama. She said that she never had any
learning, and while in bondage was not allowed to
hear the Bible or any other books read. Her mother
often told her of God, and her impressions were that
God was a very large human being, who sat in the
skies.

" 'About a year previous to my emancipation, I ran
away from my master, and went to live with Mr.
Wagner ; it was here that a change first came over
my heart, and I felt that I was a sinner. I prayed
to God, and he answered my prayers, and 1 have ex-

THE BOSTON TAPERS. 200

pei'ionceil liis Idoasings. I said, I i-eally believe I am
a sinner, and that Jesus died for me, I had never
been to church, and never heard any one say this. I
believe my only sin consisted in wishing harm to tlie
white folks ; biit now I love everybody.'

" After speaking of the condition of the colored race,
she spoke of the white people, and their holding human
lieings in bondage, and asked how it would be with
them when summoned before the bar of Judgment to
answer for their deeds u2:)on earth. The speaker also
narrated the history of her mother-in-law, who was
stolen from her native land in Africa and brought to
this country and sold into bondage. The lecture was
delivered in a simple yet affecting mannei\"

FROM BOSTOX PArEIiS.
" EMANCIPATION MEKTING.

" Commemoration of the Eiyhth Anniversary of Negro
Freedom in the United States — A Large Gathering and
Eluqnod Speeches in Trcmont Temple, Jan. 1, 1871.

"The eighth anniversary of the emancipation of
negro slaves in the United States was commemorated
in Tremont Temple last evening by a large gathering
and eloquent speeches, under the auspices of the Na-
tional Association for the Spread of Temperance and
Night Schools among the Freed People of the South.
The admission was free, and at a comparatively early
hour the Temi)le began to be filled, for 7 o'clock was
the time announced for the services to commence, and

seldom ia there an occasion of more attraction" or

F

210 "BOOK OF LTFE."

greater general interest. Every available space of
sitting or standing i-oom was crowded. Professor
Gai'diner was present.

"The platform was occupied by the Treraont Tem-
ple choir, the distinguished pei'sonages of the evening,
such as Ilev. J. D. Fulton, Rev. Gilbert Haven, and
Rev. L. A. Grimes, and many others, not omitting to
mention Sojourner Truth, of Jersey, and William
Wells Brown, M. D., who has in numerous instances
taken a leading position among New England's ora-
tors, and who has done a great deal to elevate the
colored race a grade higher in the strata of civiliza-
tion. Mr. Brown is president of the National Asso-
ciation above alluded to, and as a matter of course he
officiated as chairman of the meeting. The services
were opened with the singing of a hymn by the choir,
after which INIr Brown read a portion of the Scriptures.
Prayer was then offered by Rev. Mr. Grimes, the choir
sang another hvmn, and Mr. Brown made a half-hour's
address.

" The Rev. J. D. Fulton was the next speaker. He
congratul ited the meeting upon the work of ennobling
and elevating the black race, but while he did so he
could not forget the perils which surroiindcd it in a
city like Boston. This emancijiation was but the be-
ginning of a big job. Mental emancipation frcm the
chains of ignorance was a felt necessity, and education
must be given the black men now. The freedmen of
the South without education will be cursed rather
than blessed by the ballot. ' I do not believe,' he
said, ' in anybody casting a vote in this land that
cannot read and write.' (The mceling applauded.)

THE BOSTON PAPERS. 211

* Now do n't you cheer me/ said Mr. Fulton, ' this is
God's uiglit, and I don't want to be cheered.'

" At tLis juncture there was a movement at tlie left
end of the platform, and Rev. Gilbert Haven and So-
journer Truth appeared. Mr. Fulton turned around
to the good old lady and said, indicating the seat he
had occupied previous to taking the floor, ' Now,
Aunty, you take this easy chair.' (Laughter and ap-
plause.) Mr. Fuiton^ — ■' Now I do wish you would n't
do that.' The speaker then concluded his remarks by
an earnest advocacy of temperance, and further obser-
vations upon education ; and at a q^uarter before eight
o'clock left the Temple to take the train for New
York."

"remarks by EEV. gilbert HAVEJf.

" A collection was then taken up, a hymn sung by
the choir, and Rev. Gilbert Haven introduced. He
had the misfortune, he said, of coming after the king
(referring to Mr. Fulton) and before the queen (re-
ferring to Sojourner Truth), and of course a person in
that position was of very little account except to get
out of the way. But such things were matters of
necessity, and he would endeavor to do bis best. He
dwelt at some length upon the emancipation jirocla-
mation and spoke particularly of the happiness mani-
fested by Frederick Douglass upon the occasion of its
declaration. The time of this anniversary meeting
had been most appropriately chosen. It was fitting
that we celebi'ate this great event upon a Sabbath
evening, for in the Bible itself we find that the most
sacred festival was on account of the deliverance from

212 "BOOK OF LIFE."

tlie land of bondage. The i>resent situation of aflairs
must 1)6 acce})ted witli all our hearts. If we do not
so accept it, there is more danger in ourselves than
we are aware of. As to our duty to the South and to
the colored people, Mr. Haven said there must be a
brotherly feeling everywhere. First, we must assist
in Christianizing our emancipated brethren, both
white and black, in the South. By so doing we shall
be disarmed of our predjudice and hostility. Sec-
ondly, we must give them education. There is a pas-
sion of thirst for it there, and there are a great many
ways of working it out. There's the Institute of In-
struction in Washington, and freedmen's societies.
But, some way or other, we must put ourselves in
connection with the teacher of the South. We need
the school system. Thirdly, we must add to churches
and schools prohibition. Mr. Haven spoke of the
terrible system of intemperance which prevails, and
called for the immediate and unconditional extirpation
of it by a x'igid prohibitory law. They have got to
have prohibition down South. The black men are
becoming terribly demoralized by rum ; and America
has got to meet this issue or America goes to ruin.
Boston is fast becoming a Sodom and a hell ; on every
side this demoralization is occurring. There is also
work to be done in Boston. We must have a national
education and a national prohibitioji ; and one thing
more we need, and that is homes, lands for the freed-
men. That I shall let my good friend chiefly dwell
upon.

" Thus introduced. Sojourner Truth took the stand.
She spoke about half an hour, substantially as follows,

TRUTHS FROJiI SOJOURNER TRUTH. 21

o

the piquancy of her remarks being greatly higlitened
by the inimitable patois, if it may be so called, of her
expression : —

"truths from sojourner TRUTn.

" ' Well, chilern, I'm glad to see so many together.
Ef I am eighty-three years old, I only count my age
from de time dat I was 'mancipated. Then I 'gun tor
live. God is a fulfillin', an' my lost time dat I lost
bein' a slave was made up. Wen I was a slave I
hated de w'ite pepul. ]My mother said to me when I
was to be sole from her, " I want to tole ye dese tings
dat you Avill allers know dat I have tole you, for dar
will be a great many tings tole you after I sta't out
ob dis life inter de world to come." An' I say dis to
you all, for here is a great many pepul dat when I
step out ob dis existence, dat you will know what you
heered ole Sojourn' Truth tell you. I was boun' a
slave in the State of JSToo Yo'k, Ulster County, 'mong
de low Dutch. Wen I was "ten years old, I could n't
speak a word of Inglish, an' hab no eddicati'n at all.
Dere's wonder what dey has done fur me. As I tole
you w'en I was sole, my master died, an' we was goin'
to hab a auction. We was all brought up to be sole.
My mother, my fader was very ole, my brudder
younger 'en myself, an' my mother took my han'.
Dey opened a canoby ob ebben, an' she sat down an'
I an' my brudder sat down by her, en she says, " Look
up to de moon an' stars dat shine upon you father an'
u})on you mother when you sole far away, an' upon
you brudders an' sisters, dat is sole away," for dere
was a great number ob us, an' was all sole away be-

214 "BOOK OF LIFE."

for' my membrance. I asked her who had made de
moon an' de stars, an' she says, " God," an' says I,
Where is God 1 " Oh ! " says she, " chile, he sits in de
sky, an' he hears you w'en you ax him w'en you are
away from tis to make your marster an' misteress
good, an' he will do it."

" < When we were sole, I did what my mother told
me ; I said, 0 God, my mother tole me ef I asked
you to make my marster an' misteress good, you'd do
it, an' dey did n't get good. [Laughter.] Why, says
I, God, mebbe you can't do it. Kill 'em. [Laughter
and applause.] I didn't tink he could make dem
good. Dat was de idee I had. After I made such
wishes my conscience burned me. Then I wvid say,
O God, don't be mad. My marster make me wick-
ed ; an' I of'm thought how pepul can do such 'bom-
inable wdcked things an' dere conscience not burn dem.
Now I only made wishes, I used to tell God this — I
would say, ' Now, God, ef I was you, an' you was me
[laughter], and you wanted any help I'd help ye ;■ —
why done you help mel [Laughter and applause.]
Well, ye see I was in want, an' I felt dat dere was no
help. I know what it is to be taken in the barn an'
tied up an' de blood drawled out ob yere bare back,
an' I tell you it would make you think 'bout God.
Yes, an' den I felfc, O God, ef I was you an' you felt
like I do, an' asked me for help I would help you —
now why won't you help me 1 Trooly I done know
but God has helped me. But I got no good marster
ontil de las' time I was sole, an' den I found one an'
his name was Jesus. Oh, I tell ye, did n't I fine a
good marster when I use to feel so bad, when 1 iise to

TEUTHS FPtOM SOJOURNEli TRUTH. 215

say, O God, how ken I libe 1 I'm sorely 'prest botlj
widin and widout, W'en God gi' me dat marster be
liealed all de wounds up. My soul rejoiced. I used
to hate de -vv'ite pepul so, an' I tell ye w'en de lobe
come in me I had so much lobe I did n't know what
to lobe. Den de w'ite pepul come, an' I thought dat
lobe was too good fur dem. Den I said, Yea, God,
I'll lobe ev'ybuddy an' de w'ite pepul too. Ever since
dat, dat lobe has continued an' kep' me 'mong de w'ite
pepul. AVell, 'mancipation came ; we all know ; can't
stop to go troo de hull. I go fur adgitatin'. But I
believe dere m works belong wid adgitatin', too. On'y
think ob it ! Ain't it wonderful dat God gives lobe
enough to de Ethiopins to lobe youl

" ' Now, here is de question dat I am here to-night to
say. I been to Washin'ton, an' I fine out dis, dat de
colud pepul dat is in Washin'tun libin on de gobern-
ment dat de United Staas ort to gi' 'em Ian' an' move
'em on i^. Day are libin on de gov'ment, an' dere is
pt-pul takin' care of 'em costin' you so much, an' it
don't benefit him 'tall. It degrades him wuss an'
wuss. Therefo' I say dat these people, take an' put
'cm in de West where you ken enrich 'em. I know
de good pepul in de South can't take cai-e of de ne-
groes as dey ort to, case de ribils won't let 'em. How
much better will it be for to take them culud pepul
an' give 'em land? Yv^e've airnt Ian' enough for a
home, an' it would be a benefit for you all an' God
would bless de hull ob ye for doin' it. Dey say, Let
'cm take keer of derselves. AYhy, you've taken dat
all away from 'em. Ain't got nufiin lef. Get deee
culud pepul out of \Yashin'tun elf ob de gov'ment, an'

216 "BOOK OF LIFE."

get cle ole pepul out and build dem homos in de West,
where dey can feed themselves, and dey would soon
be abel to be a pcpvd among you. Dat is my com-
mission. Now adgitate them pepul an' i)ut 'em dere ;
learn 'em to read one part of de time an' learn 'cm to
work de udder part ob de time.'

" At this moment a member in the audience arose
and left, greatly to the disturbance of the lady, who
could with difficvdty make herself heard.

" ' I'll hole on a while,' she said. ' Whoever is
agoin' let him go. When you tell about work here,
den you have to scud. [Laughter and applause.] I
tell you I can't read a book, but I can read de people.
[Applause.] I speak dese tings so dat when you
have a paper come for you to sign, you ken sign it.'

"This was the last speech, and the services of tlic
eighth anniversary concluded at half-past nine o'clock
with the pronouncing of the benediction by Ivcv. Mr.
Haven, a general hand-shaking and congratulating on
the platform, and a discussion with Sojourner Truth,
whom her questioners found as apt and keen at i-eji-
artee as she had proved herself to be while in attend-
ance upon the Woman's Bazar last week." — Boston
Post.

For many years she has been blessed with tlie
friendship and sympathy of the widely known and
justly revered Rev. Gilbert Haven, whom she met dur-
ing her last visit in jjoston. At this time he made
her a present of ZiofCs Herald, a paper of extensive
circulation, to the reading of which she listens with
great pleasure.

THE BOSTON PAPERS. 217

"Woman's 8uffrag33 Associatiox. — This morn-
ing's session of the "Woman's Right's Convention was
f)penotl at t-en o'clock. After the transaction of some
business, Col. T. W. lligginson, of Newport, was in-
troduced to the audience, mostly composed of ladies,
whose number increased as the hour advanced. The
main object of the speaker was to rally the women of
our State and induce them to come forward in the de-
fense of their own rights. As one result of female
eiofjuence, he said, IMrs. Lucy Stone had succeeded in
melting the heart of the chairman of the judiciaiy
committee in our general assembly. At the conclu-
sion of Col. Iligginson's address a string of resolu-
tions was introduced bearing on the question of AVom-
an's Suffrage. Sojourner Truth, who was sitting on
the r)latform, was invited to speak, and made one of
her characteristic addresses, favoring a grant of land
to the freedmen of Washington, and such a provision
of educational privileges as will tend to the elevation
of this unfortimate class.

" The great speech of the morniiig was made by
31 IS. Livermore, of Boston, whose statement of facts
was l^ctter than any labored argument. Her account
of the restricted female suffrage in Kansas wsjs highly
interesting and instructive. The women in that State
are allowed to vote in matters pertaining to pul)lic
schools, and they tise their privileges for the promo-
tion of good education, and really out-wit the men in
carrying their points. In the territory of AYyoming,
Avhere female suflragc is secured, the women have
joined en tnasse in favor of temperance and morality,
defeating the vile demagogues who strove for office,
and electing persons whoso character and juinciples
are a guaranty of public order and security."

218 " BOOK OF LIFE.

Another jovirnal speaks of S journer Truth's pres-
ence ;it this mectiRg thus : — -

"Mrs. Paulina ^Y. Da^is said they had a venera-
ble hidy on the platform who commenced her life
a slave, was forty years in that condition, and since
that time had labored for the emancipation of her
race.

"Sojourner Truth, who seems to carry her weight
of yeai-s very heartily, said she was somewhat pleated
to come before them to bear testimony, although she
had a limited time — only a few minutes — but as many
f fiends wanted to hear Sojourner's voice, she thought
she would accept the offer. She spoke when the spirit
moved her — not when the people moved her, but when
the spirit moved her — -for when she was limited
to a few minutes, the people moved her. She was in
the woman movement, for she was a woman herself.
The Friend said that woman ought to have her rights
for her own benefit, she ought to have them, not only
for her own benefit, but for the benefit of the whole
creation, not only the women, but all the men on the
face of the earth, for they were the mothers of them.
Therefore she ought to have her God-given right, and
be the equal of men, for she was the resurrection of
them. There was another question which lay near
her heart, and that was the condition of the poor col-
ored people around Washington, remnants of the slav-
ery which was ended by the war. Sojourner ear-
nestly urged that land be given to these poor people
in order that they might be made self supporting, and
concluded her remarks by saying, in her naive way,
that she would stop before she was stopped."

THE BOSTON PAPERS. 219

" The American Sibyl.— Sojourner Truth, whom
Mrs. Sfcowe has honored with the title of ' The Amer-
ican Sibyl,' is spending a few days in onr city, and we
hope our citizens will have the pleasure of listening to
her graphic desci'iptions of the condition of the freed-
men of the city of Washington, where she spent three
years during the war in nursing and teaching the
poor soldiers and the emancipated people who followed
the army. She has been there again recently, endeavor-
ing in her zeal and goodness of heart to help the aged
colored people to find comfortable homes in some rural
district. She has spoken in nearly all the cities, and
has just come from Fall River, where she spoke in
two of the churches to large and enthusiastic audi-
ences, who listened with delight to the words of wit
and wisdom which fell from the lips of the ancient
colored philosopher. She was, as is well known, a
slave in New York the first forty years of her life,
and since her emancipation and remarkable conversion
to Christianity, she has labored unceasingly for the
good of her race and for oppressed humanity every-
where."

"Personal. — ' Sister Sojourner Truth' was in town
yesterday and visited the Woman Suffrage Bazaar,
where she could not resist the movings of the spirit to
say a few words upon her ' great mission,' which now
is to * stir up the United States to give the colored
people about Washington, and who are largely sup-
})orted by charity, a tract of land down South, where
they can sui)port themselves.' She don't believe in
keeping them paupers, and thinks they have earned
land enough for white people in past days to be enti-

220 "BOOK OF LIFE."

tied to a small farm apiece themselves. 8he aays she
is going to accomplish her mission in this respect be-
fore she dies, and she wants an opportunity to address
the people of Boston and to get up petitions to Con-
gress in its favor. She means to ' send tons of paper
down to Washington for them spouters to chaw on.'
Sojourner believes in women's voting, and thinks the
men are very pretentious in denying them the right.
Still she thinks there has been a great change for the
better in this respect the last few years. She is rather
severe on the sterner sex, and asks, by way of capping
her arirument in favor of her sex : ' Did Jesus ever
say anything against women 1 Not a word. But he
did speak awful hard things against the men. You
know what they were. And he knew them to be true.
But he didn't say nothing 'gainst de women.' And
solacing herself with this reflection the old heroine re-
tired to admire the beautiful bouquets in the flower
department of the Fair."

"Sojourner Truth, now in her eighty- third year, gave
a thrilling address at the Fair — in the Phillips' St] eet
Church (Rev. Mr. Grime's) on INlonday evening. It
was unique, witty, pathetic, sensible; and, aged as
she is, was delivered with a voice that, in volume and
tone, was e(|ually remarkable and sti-iking.

" IJcv. Norwood Damon succeeded her in a speech
of great elo(|uence and power. The subject was the
dependent condition and the hinderances to education
of the blacks in Washington and the South, and tJie
duty of tlie government to open avenues and furnish
inducements to a better civilization and manhood.
The venerable Sojourner will renew the sidtjcct at a

THE NEW YORK TArERS. 221

public meeting in Eev. Mr. Grime's cliiircli this oven-

• J)

mg.

" The first forty years of lier life were spent in slav-
ery in the State of New York. She became free when
slaveiy was abolished in that State, and has devoted
the remainder of her life to the cause of the freedom
of her race. She is now at this advanced age engaged
in a mission for their welfare. She wants the gov-
ei-nment, instead of feeding them as now, to put them
on land of their own, as it does the Indians, and teach
them to woi-k for themselves. Unless this be done,
she thinks the jails and penitentiaries will have to be
increased. It is the only way to prevent a large
amount of misery, degradation and crime in the pres-
ent and future generations. She carries with her
three small books in which she has inscribed the auto-
graphs of nearly all the eminent people in America.
This she proposes sometime to have printed in fac
similes. She calls them the ' Book of Life.'

I >)

FnoM n: y. axd Philadelphia papehs.

" Sojourner Truth. — Sojourner Truth was born a
slave in the family of Colonel Hardenburgh, near
Swatakill, in Ulster County, New York, and sold
away from her family when about ten years old. She
remained in Ulster County forty years, a slave,
•and had, during that time, numerous owners. She
obtained her freedom under the Act of Emancipation
in the State of New York. After her freedom she
lived in the city of New York a number of years, and
in Massachusetts, at Northampton, about twenty
years. During all this time she traveled through ev-

222 "BOOK OF LIFK."

ery section of the country, laboring to promote the
welfare of her race. She worked witho\it fee or re-
ward. She then went to INIichigan, where she has re-
sided since that time, >She has devoted her life to
the interest of her suffering race. During the war,
under President Lincoha's administration, she spent
her time among the freedmen in and around ^Yash-
ington, teaching the women how to perform their do-
mestic duties. She is now over eighty years, and has
secured a little home at Battle Creek, in Michigan.
The past summer she purchased a barn, and had it
converted into a comfortable dwelling-house..- It is
encumbered with a mortgage of nine hundred dollars,
and to clear this place of debt, she is now on a visit
to her friends, and proposes to visit President Grant,
at Washington. Sojoiirner is remarkably active and
bright for a person of her age. She has endured much
hai-dship, and deserves the aid of her friends."

— Frank Leslies Illustrated Paper.

" Sojourner Truth. — This remarkable colored lady
addressed rather a small audience in the Methodist
Chui-ch on Tuesday evening. It was small because it
had not been sufficiently advertised ; hence, compara-
tively few knew of her presence. Sojourner is a per-
fect type of her race, uneducated, but possessed of
strong common sense. She was a slave forty years of
her life, and when liberated, and an attempt was
made to educate her, she declares she could never get
beyond her a, b, abs. She is now eighty-three years
old, and has been a public speaker for a great many
many years. She spoke in Phoenixville some twenty
years ago, in the old M. E. Church, and has ever since

THE PHILADELPHIA PAPERS. 223

been anxious to do so again. In her address that
evening she stated tliat she had in her wanderings in-
quired now and then concerning her friend Elijah F.
Pennypacker, because she knew so long as he lived
she would if she visited this section have a place
wherever she could ' put the sole of her foot.' She
spoke in high terms of the Methodist people of West
Chester, and especially of their minister, the Rev. Mr.
Best, and said he wasn't like the majority of preach-
ers, who was n't in their element unless they were
' spouting,' but he was satisfied to sit at her feet and
to learn the truth as she knew it. Snjourner was in
the anti-slavery movement in its palmiest days, and
was associated with the shining lights of that struggle,
and now that the wildest dreams of those she consid-
ered enthusiastic have been abundantly realized, she
has turned her attention to the amelioration of her
race, and considers her mission to be the establish-
ment of a home for old and feeble colored jieople in
the far West, for which pui-pose she is endeavoring to
arouse public sentiment and to interest the govern-
ment,

" On Thursday afternoon she addressed the ladies
of the neighborhood in the Friends' meeting-house, at
the corner stores."

" Sojourner Truth. — Earnest, self-sacrificing devo-
tion to principle, especially when its scope is to bene-
fit humanity, is always an object of the deepest inter-
est, whatever the race, color or condition of the indi-
vidual exemplifying it. This fact explains why a
large and highly respectable audience assembled last
night in the Friends' Meeting House, on Lombard

224 ''r.ooK or ijfe."

Street, and listened witli tlie deepest attention to tlie
utterances of an old coloi'cd woman, who was a slave
for forty years. I'liat old colored woman was so ear-
nest, so fearless and untiring a laborer for lier race
during the long contest Ijetween freedom and slavery
that she is known and loved by thousands in every
State in the Union. Very black, and without much
education, she has remai-kable faith in God, wonder-
fully clear perceptions of moral right and wrong, the
most devoted love for the poor and needy, and the
most untiring determination to carry forward i)lans
for the amelioration of the condition of her race.

" She last night gave startling pictures of the deg-
radation and suffering among the colored people at
Washington and elsewhere ; showed that it would
pay the nation to transform those paupers into indus-
trious, moral citizens, and concluded by detailing her
plan for doing that work, and stating the objections
made to it. She stated that she desired to hold a
number of meetings her£ to induce the colored peo|»le
who are in better circumstances to do something to
further the best interests of the unfortunate of their
race.

" When she had concluded, Mr. John Needles stated
that the old lady paid her expenses in her pi'esent
work by selling her photograph, whereupon a number
of persons went forward and bought copies.

"Sojourner Truth jocularly denies that she ever
nursed General Washington, but she says she ' has
done quit ' telling peo[)le how old she is. ' Sometimes
folks just (piit growing aad stop as they is, and I
specs that I has jis quit growing old and keeps on do
same all de time.' This is Sojourner's explanation of
her remarkable longevity."

THE ROCHESTER TAl'ERS. 225

A Pennsylvania paper thus mentions another of her
meetings : — ■

" Old Sojourner Truth was here last Thursday night
and preached a good sermon in the IMethodist Church.
A tremendous crowd assembled to hear and see her,
and were all pleased with her address and the manner
in which it was delivered,"

FROM ROCHESTER PA PERU.

"A Lecture by Sojourner Truth,— This aged
negress lectured in Rochester, N. Y., recently, and
the Democrat and Chronicle gives this account of her
effort : — -

" ' Her ajipearance reminds one vividly of JJinah
in " Uncle Tom's Cabin." A white handkerchief was
tied closely about her head and she wore spectacles,
but this was the only indication of her extreme age.
Her voice is strong, has no toucli of shrillness, and
she walked about as hale and hearty as a person of
half her years. She said her object was to arouse at-
tvjntion to the wants of the freedmen. Their condition
at Washington was pitiful. No work could be found
for them, and their children were grov/ing up in igno-
rance. She described the treatment they had received
during the war, even after they were freed. "The
poor crceters were heaped together " M'ith no food Imt
a ration of bread. C-hiklren were taken away from
their mothers, and when the latter complained, they
were thrust into the guard-house. She went among
them, and when kIio told them tliey were free, they
did not understand her. After drawing a vivid })ic-

G

226 "BOOK OF LIFE."

ture of the siiffermgs of the freedmen and their un-
fortunate condition, even at the j^resent time, she said :
" You ask me what to do for dem 1 Do you want a
poor okl creeter who do' no how to read to tell edc-
cated people what to do] I give you de hint, and
you ought to know what to do. But if you do n't, I
kin tell you. De government hab given land to de
railroads in de West ; can't it do as much for these
poor creeters 1 Let 'em give 'em land and an outset,
and hab teachers learn 'em to read. Den they can be
somebody. Dat's what I want. You owe it to dem,
because you took away from dem all dey earned and
made 'em what they are. You take no interest in de
colored people. I was forty years a slave in de State
of New York, and was 'mancipated 'long wid de odder
culered people of the State.

" ' You are de cause of de bruta'ity of these poor
creeters. For you're de children of those who enslaved
dem. Dat's what I want to say. 1 wish dis hall was
full to hare me. I don't want to say anything agin
Anna Dickinsin because she is my friend, but if she
come to talk here about a woman you know nothing
about, and no one knows whether there was such a
woman* or not, you would fill dis })lace. You want
to hear nonsense. I come to tell something wliich
you ought to listen to. You are ready to help do
heathen in foreign lands, but don't care for the hea-
then right about you. I want you to sign petitions
to send to Washington. Dey say there dey will do
what de people want. The majority rules. If dey
want anything good dey git it. If dey want anything
not right dey git it too. You send these petitions, and

*Miss Dickinson's lecfiue njion'.Ioan of Arc.

THE ROCHESTER PAPERS. 227

those men in Congress will have something to spout
ahout. I bin to hear 'em ; could make nothing out
of what cley said, but if dey talk about do colored pco-
}tlc I will know what dey say. 8ond a good man wid
dc petitions, one dat will not turn do other side out
when he gits to Washington. Let dc freedinen Irc
enqitied out in do West ; gib 'em land an' an outset ;
teach 'em to read, an' den dey will be somebody,
Dat's wat I want to say.' "

"Sojourner Truth. — Lot no one fail to hear tlic
lecture of this remarkable woman in Corinthian Jfall,
on Thursday evening of this week. Her subject is tlie
condition of the freed colored people dependent on the
government. Having spent several years among them,
she knows whereof she speaks. She was for forty
years a slave in the State of New York. Wholly un-
educated, her elof][uence is that of nature, inspired by
earnest zeal in her Heaven-appointed mission. She
S})eaks to crowded houses everywhere ; let IlfjclRottr
give her a cordial reception."

"Sojourner Trutu. — The lecture of this rcmark:i.-
ble colored woman comes off at Corinthian Hall, on
Tliursd.'iy evening, 4th inst. The lecturer is a child
of nature, gifted beyond the common meji.sure, witty,
shrewd, sarcastic, with an open, broad honesty of
heart, and unbounded kindness.

' " Wholly untaught in the schools, she is herself a
study for the iihiloso[>liers, and a wonder to all. Her
natural powers of observation, discrimination, compar-
ison, and intuition are rare indeed, and only equaled
by her straightforward common sense and earnest
practical benevolence. She is always sensible, always

228 "BOOK OF LIFE."

suggestive, always original, earnest, and practical,
often eloquent and profound. Her lecture will be in
behalf of her people, and whoever would be edified,
entertained, and even amused, without frivolity,
would do well to be present."

"Sojourner Truth. — This celebrated colored
w^oman spoke at Lyceum Hall, Sunday evening, to an
audience of several hundred people. Her subject was
her own experience, more particularly her religious
ex})erience. She is now about eighty-three years old,
though she looks much younger. -She is unable to
read or write, and in her manner and style is per-
fectly natural and original. She acts and speaks with
the simplicity and innocence of a child, and seems to
have nothing to conceal. Her motives she speaks
out without hesitation. Her religious experience was
very beautiful, and was told in a style that defies im-
itation. To be ajipreciatcd it must be heard, for no-
Ijody can repeat it. Her religion is of an exceedingly
practical character, and consists in doing good to oth-
ers. ' How can you expect to do good to God,' she
asked, ' unless you first learn to do good to each other "?
In regard to God, she says she feels that he is all
around her ; that we live in him as the fishes live in
the sea.

" Speaking of dcatli, she com})ared it — her counte-
nance fairly ligliting up with emotion — to stepping out
of one room into another, step])ing oiit into the light.
' Oh,' said she, ' won't that l>e glorious ! '

A SYRACUSE PAPER. 229

"SO.TOURNEK Tr.UTTT TALKS TO LADIES.

" Sojournei' .spoke to a company of ladies at Asso-
ciation Hall, on Wednesday afternoon. She poi'-
ti-ayed in forcible language the vice and degradation
in wliich the war has left the poor blacks. Ignorant
and debased, they cannot be made to understand tliat
they are responsible human beings, but continue the
debased practices that marked their slave life. 8he
endeavored to enlist the sympathies of her hearei\s in
behalf of the black women of the South, and related
many incidents connected with her efforts to find
homes for them in the West. She had succeeded in
]>roviding for a hundred in this manner. At the con-
clusion of her address the ladies present took So-
journer })y the hand and gave her pecuniary aid an
well as words of encouragement."

FROM A STRACUSE PAPER.

"To the Editor of the Byracusc Journal :--

" It affords me great pleasure to announce to the
Christian people of Syracuse that Sojourner Truth is
in this city, and will address the [)eople u})on the
'Condition of the South,' to-morrow (Friday) even-
ing, at 7i o'olock.

" This remai'kable woman at the age of eighty years
is as eloquent as ever, and all who desire to see and
hear her should take this opportunity, which will
probably be the last one alTorded in this city.

**The officers and pastor of the Fourth Pi-esbyte-

230 "BOOK OF LIFE."

rian Clmrch havo kindly proircred thoiv fine audience
room, wliicli is so central that it will doubtless l)e
iilh^l very early in the evening.

" Sojourner Truth is too well known to need any
endorsements, but I was greatly pleased yesterday to
read that of the martyr pi-esident — so characteristic
of lancoln — * For Aunty.'

" Sojourner Truth — let the Cliristian people liear
her. Yours, truly, A. F. r."

FROM BATTLE CREEK PATEnS.

" First op August. — The colored people of Battle
Creek and vicinity will observe the 39th anniversary
of the emancipation of the slaves of the British West
Indies by a picnic at St. Mary's Lake, intersitersed
with boat riding, 'swinging in the lane,' kc. W.
Sweeney has been invited to deliver the oration of the
day, followed by * Aunt Sojourner Truth' and others.
The festivities of the day will be concluded by a grand
Grant and Wilson club ball, at Stuart Hall, under
the immediate supervision of the officers of the clul*.
CI. Long is the chairman of the committee of arrange-
ments.

" Sojourner Ti-uth asserts that if ever the Augean
stables of our political temple are to be cleai-ed, it
must be done by woman, and that it never will be
clean \\\\i\\ she is admitted to full fellowshii) therein.

" This well-known and venerable old lady called to
see us Thursday afternoon and to subscribe for the
Journal. She leaves for Ohio in a few days to lec-
ture upon her favorite topic, that of providing a home
for the colored people in and about Washington by

THE BATTLE CREEK TAPERS. 231

granting them a tract of land in tlie West. Sojourner
has been stum])ing for Grant, and says that if such a
strange occnrrcnco as the eh^ction of Greeley should
happen, she will remove to Canada." — Batlh Creeh,
Journal.

"republican meeting — SOJOURNER TRUTH.

" On Tuesday evening. Sojourner Truth addressed
the people of ifillsdale upon political topics at the
court-house. The attendance was immense, not half
the throng were ahle to get seats, and hundreds went
away without even gaining admittance. The old lady
was somewhat ' scattei"ing ' in her remarks hut she
kept firing away, and occasionally a winged duck went
out of the crowd, shrieking. The principal points
touched were the slanders against President Grant,
the inconsistent relations assumed by Greeley, Sum-
ner, Blair, and others, and the duties of the colored
voters. The audience, in the l)cst humoi', applauded
and cheered the speaker.

" Sojourner Truth, on the Saturday befoi-e the re-
cent election, appeared before the Board of Registra-
tion, in the third ward whei-e she resides, and claimed
the right to have her name entered upon the list of
electors. Upon being refused, she repaired to the
polls on election day in the same ward and again as-
serted her right to the ballot. She was politely re-
ceived by the authorities in both instances, but did
not succeed in her effort, though she sustained her
claim by many original and quaintly put arguments.
Sojourner states that she learned one thing by her
visit to the polls on the 5th inst. She verily thought

232 "EOOK or life."

before that day that a literal pole was erected to des-
ignate the voting place, and she ashed the bystanders
to ))oint it out. Her astonishment on being unde-
ceived, as described to us by her own lips and in her
characteristic style, is peculiarly amusing, it is So-
journer's determination to continiie the assertion of
her right, until she gains it." — Battle Crech Journal.

FROM DETROIT PAPERS.

" SOJOURNRR TRUTH.

"A veteran worker — her 'mission^ — the colorcJ paiipers
about Wasld'iajton and what to do ivith them,

" For several days past. Sojourner Truth — the ' Lib-
yan Sibyl/ as Mrs. Stowe has aptly termed hei* — has
been the guest of Mrs. Nanette B. Clardner, on How-
ard Street, where many friends, and strangers as well,
have called to see and converse with this veteran
worker in the cause of her own race. Already past
foiirscore years and ten, she yet maintains a constitu-
tion and mind unimpaired, and has an amount of vigor
that betokens a ' green old age ' indeed. Those who
have before heard her lectiires, will doubtless remem-
ber well the strong, and yet well-modulated voice, and
the characteristic expressions in which she delivers
her addresses, as well as the pith and point of her
Bpi(5y sentences.

♦'To all calling upon her, she asks the question,
' Do n't you want to write your name in de Book
of Life 1 ' to which query, the counter one in relation
to the same ' Book of Life,' is generally put, and So-
journer is usually gratified by the chirography of

THE DETROIT PAPERS. 233

hor ^'initor, in somo manner, according to the [tleas-
ui-e of the writer. Tlie l^ook in question contains
ncores on scores of names, of diflerent individuals
throughout the country, including many persons of
note, senators, authors, politicians, etc. Foremost in
tliedist is Lucretia jVIott's, avIio signs herself a 'co-
laborer in the cause of our race.' Also that of Sena-
tor Revel, of IMississippi, of Senators Morrill, Pome-
roy, ITenry Wilson, of Massachusetts, Patterson, of
Nov/ liampshire, and numerous others.

" Among the first and most treasured is that of the
late President Lincoln, who has inscribed in his hui'-
ried style, ' For Aunty Sojourner Tnith. A. Lincoln,
October 29, 18GL' From President Grant, who, she
declares, * was in a most dreflul huny to put down his
name,' on being asked to write in the * Book of Life ;'
written in his hurried manner, are the lines, ' So-
journer Truth. U. S. Grant, March 31, 1870.' There
arc letters from Gerritt Smith, Wm. Lloyd Garrison,
et id genus omne, and also a few lines each from Vice
President Colfax, Theodore Til ton, Mrs. Elizabeth
Til ton, and many othei's. Sojourner has 'views' as
well as others, and does not hesitate to promulgate
them. She is in most respects radical, and believes in
the temperance movement, woman suffrage, and has
no faith whatever in the ' New Departure ' move-
ment, as announced of late in the main plank in the
Democratic platform. The constant and repeated in-
quiry made by visitors, as to her age, she considers as
somevr'hat trying, as it is what she has done and is to
do, that she considers of the most importance. In
connection with this, she mentions that when in

234 "BOOK OF LIFE."

Brooklyn last spring Theodore Tilton called Tipon hev,
and in the co\irse of conversation proposed that ho
should write her life, a proposition which did not
meet her views, and which she did not accordingly
a'3coi)t, hut replied in effect that she expected to live
a long time yet, and was going to accomplish ' lots '
before she died, and did n't wan't to he ' written up '
at present.

" Sojourner calls Battle Creek her home, but as she
is constantly on the move, she visits that ]»lace l)ut
seldom. Her great ohject, she says, in visiting this
city and othei's, is to ' stir up * the people and interest
them in her long-desired object of pi'ocuring a homo
for the aged and infirm — particularly colored people —
who are now in and around Washington, and wholly
dependent upon the goverment for support.

" Sojourner is to remain a short time only in Do-
ti'oit, going from here westward on the same mission
which induced her to come here. In the course of
hor travels she intends visiting Kansas, in order to
prospect the land."

" About a year ago, Sojourner commenced her lect-
ures in behalf of this object, in Providence, since
which time she has lectured in many towns and cities
throughout the country. Concerning this, she says
that not much encouragement is given her, except the
constant adjuration to talk to the people, and ' stir
'em uj),' and adds, ' why don't you stir 'em up 1 as
tlio' an old body like myself could do all the stirring.'

" In relation to the subject, she states that there are
hundreds of colored people in the city of Washington,
who, from being cared for, and clotlied, and fed by the

» TTIE DETROIT PAPEKS. 235

government, have become apatlietic and indifferent,
an<l all they cai-e for is to lead the hum-dr\im, hand-
to-raontli existence that calls for no action on their
I)art. ] fundreds of children are brought up in a shift-
less manner, and, believing that the government will
provide for them, they help swell the constantly in-
creasing number of paupei'S. Without friends or
homes, they are sent to some of the numerous asy-
lums in V/ashington which are provided for them, and
thus manage to exist, but have no thought or care
as to how they arc to do hereafter. When urged to
go North, away from Washington, the invariable re-
ply, at least of nearly all of the able-bodied men in
particular is, ' What fo' I go way 1 gubernment feed
me, gib me close, I's doin' well enuti",' and so say thoy
all, or at least a great part of them.

'' That a new order of things may be established,
Sojourner proposes to excite such an interest as shall
not fail in the end to accomplish her purpose.

" As showing what a large number are fed at gov-
ernment expense during the winter, at least when
there is little or no work, she states that last season
there were from GOO to 700 loaves of bread given daily
in each ward, to the colored people, who had in many
cases only this to depend upon for sustenance. '^Phe
following extract from a letter written by Mrs. C. A.
F. Stebbins, to the editor of the National S'tandarJ,
shows the condition of things then existing, and
which is no better at the commencement of each
winter, and, as Sojourner claims, is even growing
woi'se : —

236 "BOOK OF LIFE. o

" To the Editor of tlie National Staiulaid :—

" ' Tliere could \>o no wider possible gulf between
Dives and Lazarus, in the day when the impover-
ished and despised craved the cnimbs which Ml from
the rich man'a table, than here this very day in tlio
court center of the republic, where women are starv-
ing for bread, while after all the regular nourishing
meals of the day, evening tables are heaped high with
luxuries from every clime, and hundreds ai"e invited
to share, but they are the hundreds who have plenty
upon their ov>ti boards at home

" ' I am thankful, dear Standard, that I do not be-
lieve the Dives of Washington city will ever go to the
l)urning gulf as did Dives in the parable ; or that they
will ever lack for a kind and tender hand to administer
the cup of cold water in the future world j but I can-
not say, in the turning and constant revolutions of the
wheel, that I believe all will be so fortimate in this,
for experience in the valley of humility saves, no doiibt,
some bitter regret, and necessitates reflections on
wasted opportunities which may leac^ to the realiza-
tion that all are brothers, and human wants are ever
the same.'

" Sojourner proposes to solicit government aid, in
the way of having some portion of the as yet unoccu-
pied lands of the West donated for the pur})Ose as set
forth in the petition first mentioned, and there to
have suitable buildings erected, and schools estab-
lished where the now dependent thousands of colored
peojde may go, and not only attain an independence
for themselves, but become educated and respectable
citizens, instead of the ' ti-ash ' — as she denominates

THE DETEOIT PAPERS. 237

the humbug idlers in "Washington — which their de-
pendence on government aid and bounty renders them.
" Sojourner intends remaining in Detroit several
days longer, during which time, if a hall or suitable
})lacc can be provided, she will give a lecture on the
subject described, and will doubtless attract even more
than on the occasion of her last appearance in Detroit,
in '()S."—J)ctroii Post.

" SOJOUrvNEE. TEUTII.

" This remarkable woman, born a slave in the State
of New York more than eighty years ago, and cman-
ci[>atcd in 1827, will speak in the lecture room of the
Unitarian Church, corner of Shelby Street and La-
fayette Avenue, on Monday evening, to any who
will choose to hear her. Her lecture will be highly
entertaining and impressive. She is a woman of
strong religious nature, with an entirely original elo-
quence and humor, possessed of a weird imagination,
of most grotesque but strong, clear mind, and one who,
without the aid of reading or writing, is strangely sus-
C(!|)tiblc to all that in thought and action is now cur-
rent in the world. At the antislavery and women's-
riglits meetings she has been one of tlie chief attrac-
tions, and her shrewd good sense, mixed with oddities
of sjieech and whimsical illustrations, never fail of
producing a sympathetic interest as well as exciting
the curiosity of the audience. Iler life has been one
of extreme vicissitudes, and a great portion of it full
uf hardship. She has been a true and eloquent friend
of her race, and a practical and eilicient counselor and
assistant in their moral and religious training. Her

238 "EOOK OF LIFE."

work in the freedmen's camps at Washington and in
Virginia, during the war, was very valuable and much
esteemed. She was a staunch friend of Mr. Lincoln,
and he gave her many words of encouragement and
l)raisc. "VVe advise our friends to attend her ' lecture,'
at the Unitarian Church, if they desire to be in-
strucled, amused, and gratified by one of the most
original, if, indeed, not one of the most marvelous,
persons of the time. All she docs and says is, as she
believes, inspired by the Almighty, and she connects
witli Ids direct agency the events and circumstances
which surround and control her. She now resides at
Battle Creek, ]\lichigan." — Detroit Post.

J n a notice of the lectui'e the Fust said : —
" ►Sojourner mentioned tliat the Hev. Gilbert Ha-
Aen, of Boston, had volunteered to take charge of all
the petitions signed and forward them to Congress in
due form, that they might Ik; }»resented before Con-
gress in such a way as to demand both attention and
action. She hoped to iind some one, among those as-
sembled to hear lier lecture, who would also aid her
in this respect. Tlie llev. Charles Foote, chaplain of
the House of Correction, thereupon oflfered to collect
and forward all petitions which should be signed, to
AVashington, which ollbr was thankfully accejited liy
the lecturer.

"After the ](;cture several of those interested went
iijion the platform and interviewed Sojourner, to all
of whom she gave a cordial welcome, and conversed in
her characteristic stjle."

THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE. 239

fmom the iv. y. tribune.

"sojourner truth at work,

" To the Editor of the Tribune :—

" Sir : Seeing an item in your jtuper about me, I
thought I would give you the particulars of what I
am trying to do, in hopes that you would print a let-
ter about it and so help on the good cause. I am urg-
ing the i)eoplc to sign petitions to Congress to have a
giaiit of land set apart for the freed peo{)le to earn
their living on, and not bo dependent on the g<jv-
ernment for their bread. I have had fifty petitions
printed at my own ex[)ense, and have been urging the
peo})le of the Eastern States for the past seven months.
I h.ive been crying out in the East, and now an an-
swer comes to me from the West, as you will see from
the following letter. The genthunan who writes it I
have ne^'er seen or lieard of before, but the Lord has
raised him uji to help me. Bless the Lord ! I made
up my mind last winter, when I saw able men and
Avomen taking dry bread from the government to keep
from starving, that I would devote myself to the cause
of getting land for these people, where they can work
and earn their own living in the West, where the land
is so plenty. Instead of going home from Washing-
ton to take rest, I am tra\eling around getting it be-
fore the people.

"Instead of sending these people to Liberia, wliy
can't they have a colony in the West ? This is why
1 am contending so in my old age. It is to teach the
people that this colony can just as well be in this

24!0 "BOOK OF LIFE."

country as in Liberia. Everybody says tliis is a good
work, but nobody lielps. How glad I will be if you
will take hold and giAe it a good lift. Please help me
with these petitions. Yours truly,

"Sojourner Truth.
''Florence, Mass., Feb. IS, 1871.

" P. S. I should have said that the Piev. Gilljert
Haven of Boston is kindly aiding me in getting peti-
tions signed, and will receive all petitions signed in
Massachusetts and send them to Congress. s. T."

"ToPEKA, Kansas, Dec. SI, 18Y0.
"Sojourner Truth. — Bear Madam: I know so
much of you by reputation^ and venerate and love so
much your character, that I am induced to write this.
I say I know so much of you, which is true, but it is
only by report, as I have never had the pleasure of
mooting you yet. My object in writing this is to ask
and earnestly request that you make our town a visit.
1 Avould very much like to have you come to my house
and make it your home as long as you can be con-
tented. If you will say you will come, I will send
you the price of your rivilroad fare and enough to jiay
additional (•xi)onsos. Please let mo hoar from you,
and, if possililo, convey the good intelligence that you
will come and see us. Yours, very respectfully,

"D. M. s."

"SO.IOUUNKK TUUTU IN .SnUNO'II'UilJ.

"Those who remember Mrs. S Lowe's graphic sketch
of 'Sojourner Truth, the Libyan ,Sil>i/l,' in the Atlan-
tic some years ago, will be interested to see and hear

THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE. 241

her. She is now visiting at Dr. Church's on Elm
Street, for a few days, and will address an audience at
Institute Hall, to-night, on her chosen sultject, the
sufferings of the old colored people and children in
Washington, and how to relieve them. She is one of
the most original and effective speakers, though an un-
lettered woman, and all her early life a slave in New
Yoik. She is now between seventy and eighty years
old, and has outlived many of her thirteen children,
but her eye is not dim nor her natural force abated in
proportion to her years, and her deep, powerful voice
has the same effect as formerly in moving an audience.
She says, however, that this is the last time she shall
speak in Massachusetts ; she is now on her way to a
friend of hers and her cause in Kansas, and at her age
she never expects to return here. Her object in hold-
ing meetings is, not to i-aise money, but to stir up the
people to petition Congress to show humanity to the
old and helpless of her race. She has spent much
time in Washington, and knows by observation the
misery of the colored people there, and she wants
Congress to provide a tract of land for them in some
Western State and remove them to it, where they can
live frugally and support themselves, instead of de-
pending upon charity at Washington. We hope our
citizens will avail themselves of this opportunity to see
and hear one of the most remarkable women of our
time- -a true sibyl, as Mi's. Stowe calls her, but a Chris-
tian sibyl, and more devoted to good words and works
than to obscure predictions. Her book of autographs
contains those of Abraham Lincoln, Gen. Grant, Mr.

H

242 "BOOK OF LIFE."

Gan-ison, antl a gi'oat many otlier eminent men and
women, living or dead, and is a cnrious memento of
her life."

"sojourner tsitth's lecture

" At Franklin Hall, last evening, was in the main
an exhortation to all interested in the elevation of the
blacks to petition the authorities at Washington for
land out West whereon to locate the surplus freedmen,
and let them earn their own living, which she argued
would be cheaper and better for the government than
to care for them in any other way. Her matter and
manner were simply indescribable, often straying far
away from the starting point ; but each digression was
fraught with telling logic, rough humor, or effective
sarcasm. She thought she had a work to do, and had
considerable faith in what she was accomplishing ; but
she said to her audience, ' With all your opportunities
for readin' and writin,' you do n't take hold and do
anything. My God, I wonder what you are in the
world for !' She had infinite faith in the influence
which tlie majority had with Congress and believed
that whatever they demanded, good or bad. Congress
wouM grant ; hence she was working to make majori-
ties. She leaves the East soon never to return, and
goes to Kansas where the Lord had i)lainly called her
by pi'ompting a man whom she had never seen or
heard of to invite her and pay her expenses. Her
enthusiasm over the prospect was unbounded, and she
said that, like the New Jerusalem, if she didn't find
the West all she had expected, she would have a good
time thinking about it. A good deal of sound ortho-

TITE NEW YORK TRIBUNE. 243

(lox theology was mingled with her discourse, as well
as a descrii)tion of her visit to the White House, and
the reformation she effected in the Washington horse-
car system. Tlio whole was followed by a valedictory
song in true plantation style. A large and interested
audience was present to get the benefit of her re-
marks."

" Her views on the question of woman's dress and
the prevailing fashions are interesting. They are sub-
stantially these : ' I'm awful hard on dress, you know.
Women, you foiget that you are the mothers of crea-
tion ; you forget your sons were cut off like grass by
the war, and the land was covered with their blood ;
you rig yoiirselves up in panniers and Grecian-bend
backs and flummeries ; yes, and mothers and gray-
haired grandmothers wear high-heeled shoes and
humps on their heads, and pxit them on their babies,
and stuff them out so that they keel over when the
wind blows. O mothers, I'm ashamed of ye ! What
will such lives as you live do for humanity 1 When
I saw them women on the stage at the Woman's Suf-
frage Convention, the other day, I thought. What kind
of reformers be you, with goose- wings on your heads,
as if you were going to fly, and dressed in such ridic-
ulous fashion, talking about reform and women's
rights 1- 'Pears to me, you had better reform youi'-
selves first. But Sojourner is an old body, and will
soon get out of this world into another, and wants to
say when she gets there. Lord, I have done my duty,
I have told the whole ti'uth and kept nothing back.'"

In another issue the Tribune says :— •

244 "BOOK OF LIFE."

" Mrs. Sojoixrncr Trutli, a venerable colored woman,
who has been heard before, gave her testimony the
other day, in Providence, against the fliimmery and
folly of ' feminine vestments,' and specially did she
rebuke the ' women on the stage at the Woman's Suf-
frage Convention.' Hark to her !

" ' When I saw them women on the stage at the
Woman's Suffrage Convention, the other day, I
thought, What kind of reformers be you, with goose
wings on your heads, as if you were going to fly, and
dresses in such ridiculous fashion, talking about re-
form and women's rights 1 'Pears to me you had bet-
ter reform youi-selves first.' "

" Just before this, Mrs. Sojourner had freed her
mind respecting ' panniers and Grecian-bend backs,
high -heeled shoes, and humps on the head.' We
should earnestly join in Mrs. Truth's protest against
the manifold absurdities of woman's clothing, if we
thought reform possible ; but we do n't. There has
been no simplicity of attire since o;ir grandmother
Eve made her first apron of fig leaves."

"the fashions.

" Sojourner says that 'the women wear two heads on
their shoulders with but little if any brains in eithei".'
She knew of a young woman who had her hair cut
on account of an impotency in her head and eyes.
After the hair was cut, she put it into a net and wore
it for a waterfall — getting rest for the head only dur»
ing the night. Her hair grew again but still she con-
tinued to wear the extra hair with the addition of
several skeins of stocking or other sort of yarn. Her

THE KANSAS PAPERS. 245

impotencies of course ' grew no better ' very fast. Per-
haps there is no truer saying than that 'folly is a
fund that will never lose ground while fools are so
rife in the nation.' The trouble of the thing is, or
the reason why we have the trouble is, that the
priests are dumb dogs and dare not bark or bring out
the truths of the gospel against such gigantic evils, as
war, slavery, and the 2)rided fashions. We leave So-
journer Truth with her intuitiveness and without the
letter, to battle almost alone these world-wide e\dls.
May Heaven bless and sustain her in her humanitarian
work and ' God-like mission.' Selahommaii."

Accompanied by her grandson, Samuel Banks, she
left Battle Creek in Sept., 1871, for her western trip
to Kansas. Frequently stopping by the way to hold
meetings, they at length reached Kansas, where she
was cordially received by her new friend, Mr. Smith,
as well as by friends of earlier date, whom she had
known in Massachusetts and Michigan. Her stay in
this State was rendered most agreeable by the atten-
tions of kind and sympathizing people, who spared no
pains to make her visit both pleasant and profitable.
The newspaper reporters did not neglect her, as the
fuUowing extracts will show : —

FJiOM KAiXSAS PAPEUS.

" ' Sojourner Truth ' is the name of a man now lec-
turing in Kansas City. He could only be called a
'sojourner' there, for truth could not abide in that
place long as a permanent resident." — >St. Louis Uis-
■patch.

246 "BOOK OF LIFE."

" Considerable ignorance is displayed in the first
sentence, and an unusual regard for truth in tlie last."
— Leavenworth Times, Jan. 18, 1872.

" Ignorance of the sex of this noted personage, So-
journer Truth, by the Avriter of the aljove, is proof
of wonderful lack of general information. Certainly,
knowledge does not sojourn in that head, and truth
Avithout knowledge has but poor dispatch in the af-
fairs of men and women." — Kansas City Journal, Jan.
10, 1872.

" Sojourner Truth's Talk. — There was a large at-
tendance at the Opera House last night to listen to
Sojourner Truth. Her mission, although not very
intelligently stated by her, is to secure petitions to
Congress to set a})art a portion of the public domain
for the occupation of such of the blacks as are still
living on the bounty of the government in and around
Washington. Sojourner's plan seems to be to have
this class of ' contrabands ' dealt with much in the
same way as are the various tril^es of Indians who
occupy reservations and are being langlit to sujiport
themselves.

" As the lecturer announced her intention of sjjcak-
ing again and again in Topeka, we will not prcstalo
her arguments but permit them to be brought out by
her in her own way.

" That she is a remarkable Avoman, all who have
kept pace with the history of the past thirty years
know, and being known, her jjorsistent ellbrts will
undoubtedly secure thousands of names to her pet pe.
tition.

THE KANSAS PAPERS. 247

" She also gave her views upon tciiiperancc, favor-
ing pi'ohibition. As to woman suffrage she declared
that the world would never be correctly governed un-
til c({ual rights were declared, and that as men have
been endeavoring for years to govern alone, and have
not yet succeeded in perfecting any system, it is about
time the women should take the matter in hand."

A Topeka, Kansas, paper says : —

" Sojourner Truth :— The Temperance Society of
this village have secured this remarkable colored wom-
an to lecture here on Monday evening, Feb. 21, 1872.
None should fail to hear her. For years she has been
widely kno\\Ti. As the companion and peer of the
great antislavery leaders during the dark days of the
nation's struggle for freedom, she has made for herself
a national reputation. Born in slavery, with no o{»-
portunities for improvement save those which come of
poverty and wretchedness, she is with her rich imag-
ination and shrewd good sense but what the oppressed
race miixht become under circumstances fitted to de-
velop their peculiar gifts. The music which greeted
her childish ears was the imperious voice of her pre-
tended master and the crack of the driver's whip ; but
it failed to crush out the spirit of eloquence and po-
etry with which nature had endowed her. Says Har-
riet Beccher Stowe concerning her : ' I never knew a
person who possessed so much of that subtle, controll-
ing personal power, called presence, as she.' Wendell
Phillips says of her that he has known a few words
from her to electrify an audience and aflect them as
he never saw persons affected by another party.

248 "BOOK OF LIFE."

<' Come and see and hear tliis peculiar, imaginative,
yet strong and stalwart, daughter of the tropics, The
lecture will be given in the Congregational Church,
and upon the subject of temperance. We hope to seo
a full house."

She left Kansas in Feb., 1873, and traveled through
Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin, making many friends,
from whom she received tokens of respect and afiec-
tion. Her " Book of Life," which she alv/aya carries
with her, contains autograph letters from the most
influential and intelligent people residing in those
places thi'ough which she journeyed. She returned
to Michigan with scrolls of signatures as trophies of
success, over which she felt as jubilant as "great
Csesar bringing captives home to Rome." The time
was nearing when these petitions might be presented
in due form to Congress ; accordingly, she left Battle
Creek in the spring of 1874, and joining her grandson
in Ohio, i)roceeded once more toward our national
capital. They stopped on their way thither in
Orange, New Jersey, being entertained in the beauti-
ful home of her much-endeared friends, Rowland John-
son and wife. There she met the jiromincnt and
highly gifted preacher, George Truman, with whom
she held meetings. One meeting is thus noticed by
one of the New Jersey papci-s : —

"GEORGE TRUMAN AND SOJOURNER TRUTH IN ORANGE.

" The little company of Friends in Orange held a
very intei-esting meeting yesterday morning in Asso-
ciation llall, where they Avere addressed by two noted

MEETING AT ORANGE. 249

preacliers, one a man, the otlier a woman, the former
Avhite and the latter colored. These were George
Truman and Sojourner Truth. The former was the
first speaker.

"At the conclusion of Mr. Truman's address there
was a short interval of silent meditation, after which
Sojourner Truth, the venerable preacher and mission-
ary, rose to speak. Her tall foi-m was slightly bent
with age, and as she faced her audience, clad in the
simple garb of a Quakeress, she looked like an aged
sibyl pleading the cause of her people. At first her
voice was somewhat husky, and a few words were
scarcely intelligible at the other end of the room, but
as she warmed up with her subject all signs of weak-
ness disappeared. She said that she felt that she was
called to her work, and that if we are inheritors of
the kingdom of God there must be some work that is
to be done by us. That A\'as what she had been try-
ing to do for twenty or thirty years. When she was
enlightened by God's love and truth she wanted to
know, ' Lord, what wUt thou have me to do ] Now
I want to go to work. Well, it came to me in the
antislavery cause. I knew slavery was a cui'se. I
had been a slave and a chattel, and I Avent to work
then. After that there seemed to be a call for mo to
go to work for the poor and outcast, for they are as
poor as any one on God's foot stool.' She said she had
tried for years to got the government to help her and
give the old destitute people, left destitute by the war,
and the young growing up in wickedness, a home.

" She spoke of the misery a,nd degradation she had
seen among the colored people in the South, of the

250 "BOOK OF LIFE."

Black Maria full of them driving up to the Washing-
ton police court, of their being throAvn into jails, and
of their children growing up in vice and ignorance,
and said that it was a shame and an abomination, and
that the people did not know these things simply be-
cause they did not see them. She had heard it said
that these evils would die out in time, but they would
not die out, * they must be learned out.' God looks
down on these things and sees them, and we all ought
to feel that the world shoiild be better because we are
in it. She believed in being doers of the word, not
hearers only, and in doing something to show we are
Avorkers in the vineyard. She lectured four years on
this matter, and had got up a petition to Congress
to set aside a portion of the public lands in the West,
and put buildings thereon for a home for the destitute.
People would sign her petition, but they would say
that the plan could not be carried out. It was not
so, it can be carried out. She said she wished the
women of the place would get up a meeting and give
her a hearing, as she wanted to tell them things she
could not tell the men. The venerable preacher then
wandered from sacred to secular matters, stating her
opinion that the national government needed the ad-
ministration of women to become cleaner. In conclu-
sion she spoke of the aid she had received from Gen-
eral O. O. Howard, and caused her grandson to read
a letter written l)y the general favoring the object she
was working for.

*' Sojourner Truth Avill address a woman's meeting
in i\ssociation Hall, on Wednesday afternoon at .3
o'clock. It is hoped that there will be a large attend-

LETTEB OF GENERAL HOWARD, 251

tince, as she proposes to fully present the condition
and needs of Iier race at the South to the ladies of
Orange."

" WAsniNGTOx, June 3, 1874.

" Gen. B, F. Butler, M. C,

" Washington, D. C.
" My Dear Sir :— Sojourner Truth began her la-
bors for her people many years ago. Under the oper-
ations of our laws with reference to the indigent there
is constant change. The government did lend a help-
ing hand for a time, and many think no more should
be done by the general government for the classes
rendered hel})less by the war and by slavery.

" Sojourner finds many people living in compara-
tive beggary, and many children growing up witlunit
education in either books, or industiy, or honesty,
whom she believes can be properly aided by the gen-
eral government into better conditions. It struck me
that the number of totally disabled soldiers, &c.,
would grow less as time goes on, and that possibly
the income for your Asylum would soon render it
])racticable to try an experiment in the direction that
Sojourner indicates. Without much thought and
Avithout consulting with any one, I have indicated by
the enclosed papers what you may be able to put into
some good, practical shape.

" It is hard to steer clear of very serious objections
which arise against the exercise of benevolence or
charity by the general government. Yet, as in cases
of sudden overflow or famine, I believe the exercise

252 "KOOK OF LIFE."

deepens this feeling of regard for our already I'enova-
ted Ptepublic. Yours truly,

" (Signed,) O. O. Howard,"

The year '74 brought many vicissitudes to So-
journer. Sammie Banks, her dutiful and beloved
grandson, began to decline in health soon after they
reached "Washington, which obliged them to leave
that city and return to Battle Creek, where he lin-
gered till Feb., 1875; when he passed away from
amongst us. Sojourner also suffered from serious ill-
ness during that winter, and her life was despaired of
for many long weeks. But her friends now rejoice to
see her convalescincr. She feels that for some special
purpose her life has been spared, comparative health
restored, and her mind brought back from the shad-
owy realm where it wandered during the days and
nights when that red-lipped demon, Fever, with in-
satiate thii-st, sucked the juices from life's fountain.
She says, *'My good Master kept me, for he had
something for me to do,"

She has no means of support. The ulcer upon her
limb, from which she has so severely suffered, is par-
tially healed. She says the " Lord has i)ut new flesh
on to old bones," which is proof to her mind that he re-
(piires more work of her. She hopes to go to Washing-
ton again and get her petition before Congress. Anna
Dickinson says, " I hope every one will buy the pic-
tures I gave her, and do all they can to help the
woman, poor and old, who in her prime and strength
helped so many." Another earnest woman asks the
])eoi)lc to buy her book, and by so doing make her in-

A CENTURY OF TOIL, 253

dependent in her last days. No faithful servant of
the divine INEaster should be accounted a burden while
on earth, for the earth is the Lord's and the products
are doubtless designed to sustain the creatures ho has
placed upon it. Especially should those who have
borne the burden and heat of the day of life triistfully
receive every comfort.

A frieiid not long ago offered to write her life.
She told hinishev/as " not ready to bo writ up yet, for
she had lots to accomplish first." She is now ready
to be written up to this date, hoping thereby to com-
plete the great enterprise she has undertaken. Born
fiir back in the eighteenth century, and working for
nearly a hundred years for the good of humanity, we
see her ready to enter the last quarter of the nineteenth
century with eye of faith undimmed and strength of
sjjirit unabated. She has sought to promote every
reform that has been agitated during this century.
Most of those who were associated with her have gone
from " works to rewards." But few survive to wit-
ness the flowering of those free institutions which
they labored so industriously to plant.

Sojourner yet lingers on the verge of time, present-
ing to the world the extraordinary spectacle of a
woman who, by native force, ai'ose from the dregs of
social life, like a phenix from its ashes, to become the
defender of her race ; and she has for years struggled
faithfully to extricate it from the doom of perpetual
slavery, to which it seemed to have been committed
by the despotism of a gi-eat nation, the gigantic atro-
ciousness of whose laws surpassed any other in the
annals of the ages. Her parallel exipits not in histoiy.

254 "BOOK OF LIFE."

She stands by the closing century like a twin sister.
Bom and reared by its side, what it knows she knows,
what it has seen, she has seen. Her memory is a vast
storehouse of knowledge, the shelves of which contain
a history of the revolutions, progressions, and cul-
mination of the great ideas which have been a part of
her life piirpose. She continvies to keep guard over
the rights of her race, to the interests of which slie
has so long been devoted. True to the character of
sibyl, which genius has awarded her, she, while work-
ing in the present, points to the future for the fulfill-
raent of her longings and her hopes.

Cosmopolitan in her nature, she calls the world her
home, and says she could never apply to a town for
aid, but would sooner appeal to the whole United
States, for the welfare of which she has labored and
which is more her home than any single locality of
town or State. She loves her country with truest
love. After the emancipation of her people, when
passing the capitol buildings, she would often pause
to contemplate the ensigns of liberty displayed upon
them, which then admitted a new interpretation.
She devoutly thanked her God that the flag proudly
floating over the dome at last aflbrded protection to
such as she, and that the stars and stripes no longer
symbolized the " scars and stripes " upon the negro's
back. Instinctively her soul claimed kinshij) with
the emblematic eagle, whose glittering eye seemed to
pierce the clouds, and the span of whose wings was am-
ple to hover over four million freemen, iipon whose limbs
the clanking chain would drag no more. And when
her free black hands were x'aised to heaven, invoking

THE NTNETEENTII (!ENTITRY. 255

blessings upon lier country, it was a fairer sight to see
and a surer guarantee of its permanence anil glory
than was the imposing spectacle of that beauteous
" queen of the East," upon whose snowy, perfect hands
the golden chains of slavery shone, as she entered the
gates of the eternal city, leading the triumjthant pro-
cession of a Cajsar.

The nineteel^th century towers ahove all preceding
ones. Numberless inventions and improvements are
embraced within its circle. Mechanics, agriculture,
commerce, science, and arts, the world of matter and
the world of mind, have budded and blossomed, so to
speak, as never before. The contemplation of its
achievements is at once sublime and overwhelming,
and not alone for what it has done, but for what it
prophecies of the coming time. The century is a sibyl,
too. Upon the foundation it has laid, a superstruct-
ui'e may arise more symmetrical than pi'ophet has yet
dared foretell. "It builded better than it knew,"
can truly be averred of it. But the centnry has near-
ly run its course. Already are the " fateful Spin-
ners " coiling the strands with which to ring its fu-
neral knell. Its plumed hearse and sable mourners
loom up like ghosts in the dim horizon of the near
future. The grave-digger, sharpening spade and pick,
prepares to do his part. Representatives from many
nations and races hasten to join the pageant, to pay
the last honors in the " City of Brotherly Love," where
the obseqities are to be celebrated.

Let us accept the name as a happy omen, foi-eshad-
owing the time when brotherly love shall so abound
that the relation of each to all will be so plain that

256 " BOOK OF LIFE."

" he who runs may read." Tlie centiii'y's history is
nearly written up, and Sojourner's hxcks but another
chapter in which she hopes to chronicle the accom-
plishment of her heart's desire. May her longevity
transcend the century with which she has so long
kept pace.

She has ever listened to the still, small voice within
her soul, and followed where it led. She has clothed
the naked, and fed the hungiy ; been bound with those
in bondage, and remembered her less fortunate brother
when released from chains herself. She has uphold
the right and true, denouncing wrong in high places
as well as low. Her barque has been carried far out
to sea, and now it nears the port. ]May she encounter
no more storms upon her homeward course, but, wafted
by soft, sweet winds through placid waters, peacefully
enter the harbor of the " Iving Eternal." And when
she glides from ship to shore, may she hear the wel-
come, " Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy
laden, and / will give you rest."

SOJOURNER TRUTH'S CORRESPONDENCE.

But few of the autograph letters contained in her
" Book of Life " will be published, as it is beyond her
limited means to give all to the public. She trixsts
her scribe to make the selections. She holds all in
dear and precious remembrance. The light emanating
from their true friendship pierces the darkest clouds
that obscure her horizon, and sheds its blessed rays
across the path she ti-eada. She hopes and believes

CORRESPONDENCE. 257

tliat all their names are written in the '•'• LamVs Book
of Life," and that the sweet communion begun in
time will continue when time shall be no more.

lETTEES AND SIGNATURES.

"Boston, Aug. 6, 1870.
" Having been long acquainted with Sojourner
Truth, and familiar with her eventful life and mar-
velous experience, I heartily commend her to the re-
spect, hospitality, and generous good-v/ill of those
among whom her lot may be cast for the time being :
first, because of the cruel wrongs and sufferings en-
dured by her while held for so many years in slavery ;
secondly, because of her disinterested, timely, and
self-sacrificing labors among the wounded colored
soldiers and destitute freedmen at the national capitol
during the late rebellion; thirdly, because of her
worthy character, and her many inspirational juiblic
testimonies in the cause of truth and righteousness ;
and, fourthly, because of her venerable age and nec-
essarily increasing infirmities.

"W.M. Lloyd Garrison."

" Sojourner Truth, with the best v/ishes of her
friend, Helen E. Garrlson."

"About twenty years ago my ac(juaintance began
with this great and truly estimable woman. Sojourner
Truth, since which time I have never ceased to feel
myself stronger in spirit, and more earnest for justice
and right for knowing her. We have dwelt together

258 ■ "BOOK OF LIFE."

under the same roof weeks at a time ; we have
traveled together, holding meetings, myself a silent
companion, and to-day I rejoice to subscribe my name
with her chosen friends, in her ' Book of Life.'

" Amy Post.
"Rochester, N. Y., May 3, 1871."

" May God bless, elevate, and enlighten the colored
race, is the humble wish of their friend. We have
met and conversed with their representative. Sojourner
Truth, and are very much struck with her experience,
as proving the principle that God reveals himself in
other ways excepting that of his word.

"James E. Wallace.

"Rochester, N. Y."

" God speed thee in the right, Sojourner.

"Thy friend, Stephen Arciieu.

" Dohh's Ferry, N. Y."

"Anti-Slavery Office, Nbw York, July 2'.t, 18G^..

" Dear Sojourner : —

"Yours by the hand of J. M.
Peebles came pi-omptly. I thank you fur the phcjto-
graphs, though they are poor compared with the one
you sent me iirst. It is a pity you did not preserve
the negative of that instead of this. Not only is the
likeness better, but the work also.

The mob did not disturb the Anti Slavery office, nor
me. The fact is, the Standard is scarcely known to
the vjlo dafjs composing tlie mob, having but a .siiiall

CORRESPONDENCE. 259

circulation in the city. But it would have taken only
a hint to direct their attention to us, and then my
life would have been in danger, and the office would
probably have been destroyed. A good Providence
seems to have watched over us. Mr. Leonard, the
colored clerk, was obliged to hide, but no hai-m came
to him. Many of the colored people were dreadfully
abused, but a very healthful reaction has already set
in; and I believe the condition in this city will be
better than it was before. Upwards of $30,000 has
been raised for the relief of the sufferers, and they
will get pay from the city government for the property
they lost. I shall send the Standard as yon request.

"With sincere regard for you, and earnest prayers
for your welfare, I subscribe myself,

" Yours faithfully, Oliver Johnson."

" Boston, Oct. 21, 1807.
" Dear Madam :—

" I inclose my check for ten dollars

(.$10), a donation from the Rev. Photius Piske, for

Sojourner Truth. Please acknowledge the receipt of

same. Yours very triily, Wendell Phillips."

'•The first time that Sojourner addressed a public
meeting in Orange, some years since, she said that
the first shall be last and tlie last first, and that she
believed the colored race would yet lead the people
out of darkness and ignorance. It now seems likely
that the colored voters of Nevy Jersey will redeem the
Htate from tlie gi'asp of the igno?;ant ancl deprp,yed

2G0 " BOOK OF LIFE."

democratic party. Sojourner is now laboring to con-
summate that glorious work. May Heaven grant her
success. Rowland Johnson.

" Orange, N. J., 1870."

A LETTER OF INTKODUCTION.

" Syracuse, Oct. 9, 1SG3.
" Dear Friends : —

*' The bearer of this note will be So-
journer Truth, a worthy and remarkable woman.
She is going to Courtland, to visit INIiss Mary E.
Mudge and other friends. I shall be obliged to any
persons who, on the arrival of the train at the Court-
land depot, will help her to tind her friend's house.

" Samuel J. May."

"Washington, D. C, March 22, ISGo.
" My Dear Sojourner : — •

" I have made an arrangement
for a meeting at the Union Baptist C'hurch for next
Sunday evening. I want you to come, if possible.
Let me know if you can.

'' Yours truly, John Dudley."

"To my Friend, Sojourner Truth : —

"The nearly thirty
years' acquaintance I have had with you, all confirm
your title to the name you have chosen, and its record
in humanity's ' Book of Life.'

"Yours, Samuel L. Hill.

" Florence, Mans., Feb. L'l, ISU."

CORRESPONDENCE. 261

" After a wearied pilgi-image of over eighty years,
she is a sojoui-ner among \is, witnessing the cuhnina-
tion and fiilfilhnent of those great truths wliicli she
has humbly foretokl oft-times within the hist four
decades. Her pilgrimage is nearly over. Sojourner
Truth is resting. She quietly and proudly awaits her
time to pass over among those who have performed
their part. Good-by, aged friend.

" Richard Lamberth, of San Francisco.

" Washington, I). C, ISTOr

"Philadelphia, Tenth Month, 21st, 1869.
" I hope people will buy her pictui-es, which I have
given to Aunt Sojoiirner, and so help her. And in-
deed I hope every one will do all they can to help the
woman, poor and old, who in her })rime and strength
has helped so many. I will waite for you, aunty, the
Arabic blessing, ' May jow live to be a thousand years
old, and may your shadow never grow less.'

"Anna E. Dickinson,"
'* A men to all dear Anna has said.

*' A. C. Harris."

" I have very pleasant memoi'ies of Sojourner Truth.
She has been a faithful worker in the cause of freedom
and of right. She can truly say, with Paul, ' I have
fought a good fight, ... I have kept the faith ;
henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteous-
ness, which the Lord, the righteoiis Judge shall give
me.' With my sincerest good wishes,

'' Egbert F, AValcut."

2(j2 " r.OOK OF LTFE,

>)

"Tlie wisest, wittiest woman I know is Sojourner
Truth. Wiser and wittier, of course, lb an any man.
I am glad to have enjoyed many years of acquaintance
with her. I hope to enjoy many ages. IMay she and
all her friends believe on her divine Jesus, and he with
him wliere he is. Gilbert Haven."

" Dear Sojourner : —

" Love is the light, life, and central

attraction of the universe, and will, if men yield to it,

bring selfishness and misrule into harmony and law.

May you ever feel its blessing.

" C. A. F. Stebbins.

" Wai!hingto7i, D. C."

" With earnest best wishes, your friend,

" Giles B. Stebbins."

" May the Lord Jesus, who met you in the way,
ever be your friend, companion, and guide.

« Your friend, Henry Foster."

" Sojourner, as you are crowning earth's children
with bright and beautiful truths, so the angels will
crown you, when you enter the bright Spirit Land.
" Eenino, the little Indian squaw."

"Anthony Village, K. I., Ninth Month, 10th, 1870.
" God hath many aims to compass,

Many messages to send,

And his instruments are fitted

Each to some distinctive end.

*' Perks Peciiv. Aged 81 years."

OOHRESPOXDENCE. 263

" Arisen from tlie dogfadation of slavery to be one
of tJie most noble reformers of the age. Long may
her star illumine the pathway of the progressive
world. Mrs. M. Gale.

''East Medway, Mass.'"

" May the Lord bless and preserve you through
life. Yours, J. McMillen.

''Brvokhja, N. T."

" That Sojourner Truth has ennobled human nature

by her life, is the firm conviction of her friend,

"Alfred E. Giles.
" Boston , Mass"

". Syracuse, N. Y., March 25, 1871.
" Sojourner Truth was in Syracuse, laboring in the
cause of Christ and humanity. Although over eighty,
she still has plans for future usefulness which she
seems happy to contemplate. Her life testifies to her
faith in God's words that ' no man putting his hand to
the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom oi
God.' J. S. Leonard."

"With ever kind and ever loving remembrance of
my dear old friend of more than thirty years' ac-
quaintance. James Boyle, M. D.

" No. 20 W. Broadway, N. Y., July 13, 1870."

li

P. S. All the years during which we have known
each other, we were co-laborers in the anti-slavery

264 " BOOK OF LIFE."

movement, and now we see our wislics accom])lisliod
in tlie overthrow of tliat horrid wall of crimes and
cruelties which Chnrch and State combined to perpct-
nate. The great God is leading the bordmen and
bondwomen through a Tfed Sea to their freedom, and
writing their deed of enfranchisement Avith the ])oir!t
of the sword, in the blood of their oppressors North
and South. j. b."

James Boyle made Sojourner a present of ilie stere-
otype portion of her '' Narrative," which includes the
first 128 pages of this volume.

" I have conversed with Aunt Sojournei', and be-
lieve her to be a child of God.

<' Mrs. Lewis Fairbrotheu.
''PawtucM, n. I."

*' Dear Aunt Sojourner : —

'' I thank the ' King Eter-
nal' that he is no respecter of persons, and that we are

all his children. Henry C, L. Dorsey.

'Tmdncket, Se}>t. G, 1S70."

" Slavery has gone over the battlements, thanks be
to God. Joseph A. Ducdale.

" Mt. Pleasant, Iowa."

"Dear Sojourner Truth, a holy woman doing a
godlike work — May she prosper in her noble under-
takings. M. L. TvRS.

"Jhfn/if, Mirh."

f'OrvRESPONDENCE. 265

"IlocnESTER, X. Y., Way S, ISTl.

" My Deau Sojoukxer Tiiutii : —

" I rejoice to find yon
strong in health, vigorous in mind, warm in heart,
and, as usual, full of noble purposes, looking to the
welfare of suffering men and women. May you long
live to bless, cheer, and enlighten, and to lift up the
oppressed, and smooth the pathway of the lowly, and
may you see the fruit of your labors multiply more
than sixty or an hiindred fold.

" Frederic Douglas."

" Dear Mother in Israel : — •

" You are called of the
Lord and anointed by his Holy Spirit to bind up
the broken-hearted, and to sway the hearts of men
by a power gi-eater than that which resides in thrones
and scepters. ]May God bless you, and give you suc-
cess in your divine mission. Daniel Steele.

" Genesee College, Lima, iY. F., May 12, 1871.''

"loLA, Kan., Nov. 5, 1S71.
" How easy it is to detect the spirit, however hum.,
ble its garb, freed from the trammels of the world,
party, or sectarianism. In you, good old Sojoiirner,
we see it far removed abo^e all clogs. Once a slave,
now, in the highest sense a freedwoman; desiring
nothing, hoping for nothing, but the truth as revealed
by the Spirit, not killed by formalism. We thought
we saw afar off a true spirit, and desii-ed to meet you.
At our request and invitation, you honored us with
your presence at our house. We hope you have en-

266 "r.OOK OF LIFE."

joyed tlio visit as well as ourselves. The best room,
the best bed, and the best seat, we have intended to
reserve for yon, hoping to make yon feel free and at
home. Be assnred, good friend, we feel giatefnl to
you, and l)3nefited by your connsel, and words of wis-
dom and truth. Mixj your labors for the in-omotion
of your race and our common humanity meet with
abundant success, and, finally, great reward, is the
earnest desire of your fiiends and well-wishers,

"Byron M. Smith,
'•Eliza S. Smith."'

" May God's blessing rest on thy labors for the ele-
vation of thy race and the general good of mankind.

"G. Knowles.
" Leavenworth, Kan."

" Dear Friend Sojourner : —

" I hope that you will live
to see the day when the people of this land shall be
wise, and through their government care for the poor
and ignorant, both black and white, as a wise parent
cares for his children. Eliza R. Morgan.

" Leavenwurtli, Kav."

"53 Broadwai-, Niiw York, Jan. 17, 1SG8.

" Sojourner Truth : —

^^ Bear Mailain — I had the pleas-
ure of meeting you several yeax'S ago, at my uncle's,
Mr. Richard Mott's, in Toledo. I saw Mr. Mott a few
days ago, and he told me where you reside. I send
one dollar, inclosed, for which j.lease send me, by

CORRESPONDENCE. 2G7

mail, as many of your photographs as the money will
pay for. If you have two or three diflerent ones,
please send one of each. Perhaps yon may have hoard
of the death of Uncle James Mott, brother of Richard
Mott and husband of Lucretia Mott. He died last
Sunday. Mrs. Mott is quite feeble and feels her great
loss very much. I shall be glad to see you again
when yoii come to New York, and shall try to do so.
" Very truly yours, Walter Brown."

"Brooklyn, Sept. S, 1SG9.

" Your letter of the 12th inst. has just reached me.

I take pleasure in seconding my husband's invitation

to you for a visit at our hoi;se. He will, no doubt,

be away most of the winter, therefore, if your health

will permit, as soon as you can come it will be best.

We live at 136 Livingstone St., Brooklyn. Write to

Mr. Tilton the day of your arrival, and he will meet

you at the depot.

" I am yours sincerely,

" Elizabeth Pt. Tilton."

" Providence, R. I., Sept. 14, 1870.

" To Sojourner Truth ; —

" May your last days be your
best. JNIay your sun set in glory. Having followed
in the footsteps of Jesus all the way, he will now
guide your feeble steps up the mount of ascension,
and when the opening heavens receive you, you shall
hear his sweet voice saying, ' Well done, good and
faithful servant.' Rachel C. Mather,

" Teacher of Freedmen in Beauforf, S. C"

268 "BOOK OF LIFE.'

" To Sojourner Truth, the Libyan Sybil : —

" I give thee joy, my noble friend and true,
Thou who, but yesterday, a scorned slave,
Bearing the cross within thy great, brave heart,
Wert scourged and scoffed at by the heartless crew,
And only pitied by the Christ-like few
Who seek — like Christ — the sorrowing to save,
To-day, forevermore enshrined in art !
Honor and joy be thine ! How few like thee
Wear the saints' aureole on an earthly brow.
So thy wronged race, long trodden beneath the feet
Of tyrant lords, and wearing the brand of shame,
Shall yet in manhood's majesty complete
Stand proudly in the sacred halls of fame.

" Mks. C. L. Moegan.
"ML Pleasant, Wis., May 2, 1803."

"Again are we privileged in having Sojourner with
us. 'Tis very pleasant for us that she feels our house
is her home. She speaks this evening in the Congre-
gational Church. Mrs. A. Montague.

"Kalamazoo, Mkh., Aug. 2G, 1871."

*' That the evening of your life may be as calm and
peaceful as the morning was dark and stormy, is tlie
earnest wish of your sincere friend,

" LuciNDA Walling.

"ML Pleasant, Wis., SepL, 1871."

" May our friendship of many years continue for

is short life.
" Thomas Chandler.

long ages after the close of this short life,

" Ramn, Mich., 1871."

CORRESPONDENCE. 269

" My Dear Grandmother : —

"As the present is your
first visit to INIissouri, I want to put it on record in
your ' Book of Life,' that there is at least one native
Missourian who entertains no prejudice against col-
ored people, but, on the contrary, values all alike ac-
cording to their worthiness. Your noble labors for
the freedom of the colored race are among my earliest
remembrances, and your beautiful ideas of life, death,
and God, will he among the last things I shall forget.
"W. H. Miller, Journal of Commetxe.

"Kansas City, Mo., June 15, 1S72."

"Our Veteran Friend,

Sojourner Truth — We have
known thee for a quarter of a century, heard thy
clarion voice in the day when the slave power rioted
in the land and trod with its iron heel upon the
hearts of its victims. God has blessed the labors of
his servants in a signal manner, and slavery by his
mighty power has gone over the battlements and is
destroyed. May thy old age be crowned by his pres-
ence, and thy trumpet join with Gabriel's in the jubi-
lee, when the countless multitudes shall surround the
throne of God. Joseph A. Dugdale.

" 3It, Pleasant, lutva, Second Month 7th, 1872."

" Nov. ir, 18«8.

" Sojourner Truth commenced her advocacy of the

rights of her race during our war with Mexico, since

Avhich her travels and labors have been wide-spread,

constant, and arduous. God has givtm her remarkable

270 "BOOK OF LIFE."

native sagacity, a ready command of strong, express-
ive language, and a vein of sharp wit and ricli humor
with which to combat the falsities and delusions among
the people of her time. May Clod give her length of
days, and free utterance on the side of right and
justice. W. L. Chaplin."

" To Sojourner Truth :—

"You say you wish to leave
the world better than you found it. Posterity will
give you the credit of having done so.

" R. B. Taylor, Editor Gazette.
" Wyandotte, Kansas, Dec. 25, 1S71."

" Aunty : —

"Accept this book to collect the sci'aps
of your eventful life, which has accomplished so much,
and is now so entirely devoted to the interests of the
poor colored people in Washington and elsewhere.

"Robert Adams.
" Fall River, Oct. 16, 1S70."

" Mendota, III., April 22, 1872.

"To the Methodist Ministry of the Park River
Conference : —

'■'■Dear Brethrea — Allow me to introduce to you
Sojourner Truth, and bespeak for her your friendly at-
tentions. If her religious experience, as narrated a
few years ago in the Atlantic Monthly, by Mrs. H. B.
Stowe, affected you as it did mo, you will feel it an
honor to receive her in the liord with all gladness.

" Your brother in Christ, JJ, F, Holmk^^."

COmiESPONDENCE. 271

A short sermon inserted in Sojourner's ' Book of
Life,' and one whicli she appreciates : —

" Our ingress in life is marked and bare,
Our progress through life is trouble and care,
Our egress out of it we know not where,
But doing well here, we shall do well there.

"C. P. MOKGAN.

''Leavenworth, Kan., Jan. 31, 1873."

"Springfield, Mass., Feb. 28, 1871.
" SojouRXER Truth : —

''Dear Friend — In writing my
name in your ' Book of Life,' it gives me great pleas-
ure to say that our acqviaintance of some twenty years
has made me largely your debtor. Your steady devo-
tion to the cause of suffering humanity has always
commanded my esteem, admiration, and reverence.
As you have spent a long and laborious life for the
good of others, may you always find troops of friends
to minister to your comfort whUe you sojourn among
mortals. And when at last you pass on to the higher life,
I trust you will be met by a host of immortal friends
on the shores of the summer land, who will welcome
you to the blest abodes. E. W. Turing."

" Your life, commencing in the depths of slavery,
opens grandly and brightly even there, and who can
tell of the glorious angelhood into which it is unfold-
ing] The ' Well done ' awaits you, Sojourner, and all
earnest workers for humanity.

" Martha L. Gale.

" Ea^t Mcdwau, Mass., 1S71."

272 '-'UOOK OF LIFE."

" Aunty Sojourner Truth : —

" We have been greatly
pleased and edified by a visit from jon. Having
known you for aboixt thii-ty years, it is with pleasure
we add our testitaony to your self sacrificing labors in
behalf of your despised and oppressed race, and the
cause of humanity everywhere. Although far ad-
vanced in years, may you be spared to see your efforts
for the elevation of your people crowned with success.

"N. B. Spooner,

" L. H. SrooNER.

"Plymouth, Mass., ISri."

"May she who patiently hath wrought
Through years of earnest toil and thought,
Find her best hopes fulfilled at last.
And when her wanderings are past, •
To crown her work of love be given
Sweet peace on earth and rest in Heaven.

"J. Walter Spooner.
'' Phjmonth, 3f««."

" James N. Buffiim, Ruth Buffum, Abby B. Buf-
fum — all good friends of Sojourner Truth.

"■Lynn, Mass., ISru."

"Go on. Sojourner, God speed you.

"J. A. B. Stone.
" Kalamazuo, Mkli.''

" Blessings on thee, my good old friend.

" Wendell'Philj.u's.
^' JJustun, 3J[ass.'

CORRESPONDENCE. 273

VISIT,^ PKESIDENT GRANT — LETTER OP INTRODUCTION
FROM GEN. HOWARD.

" Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen% and Abandoned Lands.

" WasMiHjtoii, D. C, Mairh 17, ISTO.

" Gen. U. S. Grant :—

" President U. S. — Sojoui'ner Truth,
quite an aged and distinguished colored woman, earn-
estly working for years for her people, desires to see
the president. She will pray for him surely; but
more heartily if she sees him.

" Yours respectfully, 0. 0. Howard."

Sojourner says : "I went in company with several
ladies and gentlemen to see the president. While
waiting in the ante-room with other visitors, a gentle-
man called, to whom I was introduced. During a
short conversation with him, he said, ' I recollect hav-
ing seen you at Arlington Heights. How old do you
call yourself now V I had felt veiy much annoyed
by people's calling to me in the street and asking that
question. I mentioned it to Dr. Howland, and he ad-
vised ice to charge five dollars for answei-ing that
question ; so I said to the gentleman, A friend told me
to ask five dollars for telling my age. He smiled
pleasantly, and invited me to call upon him at the city
hall. After he left, my friends told me that that gen-
tleman was Mayor Bo wen, one of the best men in the
city. Presently, a man came in, a free-and-easy sort
of fellow, and asked to see the president. We were
now ushered into the presence room. A very elegant
lady and gentleman shook hands with the president,
and after a few pleasant words were passed, took
their leave.

274 "BOOK OF LTFE."

" TIiPU tlio ' hail follow ' stopped np and ofToi-ed liig
hand, saying, 'This is Presidont Grant, is it? Yon
ain't as old as I tlionglit yon was. I've seen yonr
pictor, and yoiiv picter looks older than yoii do.' The
pi'esident smilingly said, ' I am not so very old.'
'Wall, liow old do yon call yonrself, anyhow f The
president replied that he was 49 years of age, 'Ain't
yon no older than that?' said the fellow. ' No, sir,'
patiently answered the president. ' Yon look older
than that,' said he, and waited to see if the president
had anything more to say, but, finding that the in-
terview was ended, turned to go, saying, ' Good -by.'
' Good-by, sir,' said the president, and the fellow
walked off.

" I felt very much mortified because I had asked
Mayor Bowen five dollars for inquiring of me how
old I was, when I saw how kindly and politely the
president treated that clownish fellow. I will here
add that I subsequently called upon the mayor and
apologized for my rudeness to liim. He said he ought
to be the one to ask an apology, for it was improper
to ask a lady her age. He invited me to spend a day
with his family, whicli invitation I accepted and was
cordially entertained by his lovely wife and interesting
family. It was now our turn to be presented to the
president. He shook my hand, and said he was
pleased to see me. After a little pleasant conversa-
tion, I expressed my gratification that the colored
people had gained the right of suffrage. This he cor-
dially indorsed. I now showed him my ' Book of
Life,' which contains the autographs of Lincoln and
other distinguished persons. He took the book and

C'ORnESPONDEXCE. 275

wrote his name in it. ' To Sojourner Tmtli. IT. S.
Grant, March 31, 1870.' I then handed him two of
my photographs, which he took, and putting one in his
pocket-book, he laid the other on the table and gave
me a five dollar bill, for which I thanked him.

" We now left, carrying with us a ])leasant impression
of the president, and the memory of a delightful hour
spent in the White House."

" Washington, April 14, 18G7.

" My Dear Sojourner : —

" I am so thronged with work,
and applications for colored people, from all parts, that
I cannot finish any day's work. I always go to bed
tired, leaving much work undone. As to sending
you people, it is impossible to promise anything. We
have been trying to get some people to go the last
■week, but all who go incline to go to Providence,
Battle Creek, or some place where already several
have gone.

" One thing now you may do — send the names and
residences of those who have applied to you for help,
and we will make one desperate effort. We send our
men to Brockpoi-t this coming week. The Bureau re-
quires that the names of employers be sent ; so if you
send on the names, I will do the best I can. You
need not promise any till you see whether they can be
obtained. I wish much we could send a hundred
men, they stand idle everywhere and will not go in
any considerable numbers till after the fii'st of Jiine,
when they will vote. With love and best wishes,
"Your friend, Josephike S. Griffing."

276 " BOOK OF LIFE.

"Oct. ir,, 1874.
" Mrs. F. W. Titus :—

" Can you inform me who wrote
out (or otlierwise compiled) and edited the narrative
of Sojourner Truth's life 1 I shall be much obliged to
you if you can give me this information ; it is desired
for the library of a public institution. If you can
tell me where Sojourner Truth is now, and as to her
health and circumstances, I shall be glad and further

obliged to you.

" Respectfully,

"Samuel May.

"Leicester, Mass."

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER.

"Leeds, M.\.ss., Jax. 17, 1870.

" Sojourner Truth : —

" 3fy Dear Friend — A line from
my brother received this afternoon, speaks of your
being at Vineland, so I must send you a few lines to
say how much pleased I was to hear from you through
friend Amy Post, of Rochester, New York. Hope
you have been successful in your present journey with
such kind and efficient friends as Mr. and Mrs. Theo-
dore Tilton to help you. Was very glad your mind
was set at rest about your son Peter. How strange
are the events of our lives. How little we know of
the world we live in, especially of the spiritual world
by which we are surrounded. But we may see
enough to know that it is at least marvelously inter-
esting. You and I seem to move around as easily as
soap bubbles — now here — now there — making our
mark, I suppose, everywhere, though uiine is a very

COKREBPONDENCE. 277

quiet mark compared to yours. ' I get a glimpse of
you often through the papers, which falls upon my
spirit like bright rays from the sim. There is a wee
bit of a chapel here, pu]i)it supplied by a Mr. Merritt,
and one evening last fall he repeated something that
'Sojourner Ti-uth' had said. I was not there, so I
cannot tell what it was. I did not think you were
laying the foundation of sixch an almost world-wide
reputation when I wrote that little book for ytu, but
I rejoice and am proud that you can make your power
felt with so little book-education.

" Olive Gilbert."

ANOTHER LETTER FROM THE SAME PERSON.

" My Dear Friend : —

"I may not be able to make
you sensible of the heart-felt pleasure I experienced
on receiving your kindly greetings once more, but
hasten to thank you sincerely for them, and for your
address which I have long wished for ; and I assure
you I am most happy in thus being enabled to return
you my own greeting, fervent, fresh, and warm from
the heart. It is a very long time since we have had
any oiiportunity of communicating with each other
directly, though I have been enabled to find traces of
you and your labors, from time to time, which was
more, I think, than you have been able to do of your
old friend ; for I am not so public a pci'sonage as
yourself.

'• Your call upon Mrs. Stowe, and our dear, sainted
president, and your labors connected with the army, and
the Freedmen's Bureau, gave you a publicity that on-

278 " BOOK OF LIFE."

abled me to observe yoii at your old vocation of help-
ing on and doing good to your fellow-creatures, both
physically and mentally. I was much pleased with
Mrs. Stowe's enthusiasm over you. You really al-
most received your apotheosis from her. She proposed,
I think, that you should have a statue and symbolize
our American Sibyl.

I have written more than a sheet, and have not
spoken of what has been in my mind all the time, of
the gi-eat deliverance of your people from the house of
bondage, the wonderful work of the Lord, accom-
plished only through a cruel and bloody war, as was
so often predicted by friend Garrison and others in
days gone by. You may have witnessed many of its
terrors. And oh ! it makes me almost speechless
when I contemplate the hosts of men, and these the
llower of their country, that were thus sacrificed to
Moloch. There is but one reconciling thought, and
that is, The Lord is all-wise and reigneth over all.
He sees and knows what we observe, and not a spar-
row falls to the ground without his notice. Of the
little book I wrote for your benefit, some of the cojues
I took are sold ; others I gave to my friends as keep-
sakes, &C.

" Get some one to write for you soon, and believe
me to be your true friend and well-Avisher, now and
forevermore. o. g."

" The company of our estimable friend, Sojourner
Truth, Avill ever be cherished with feelings of love.

"Sakah T. Rogers.

'']^o. 3^S, Nurth Eleventh St., Philaddphia."

COHRESPONDENCE. 279

" 3 Exeter Street, Boston, Mass., Apr. 25, 1S75.

" Dear Friend : —

" We ax'e sorry to hear that you are
suffering from ill health, and hope you may be getting
better by this time. INly mother, Mary May, who was
one of the earliest abolitionists, with Mr, Garrison and
"Wendell Phillips, wishes me to send her remembran-
ces to you, and her best wishes, and wants you to ac-
cept ten dollars from her. Perhaps you have seen
her, either here in Boston, or at the house of my
brother, Samuel May, in Leicester. She is eighty-
seven years of age and rather feeble, though her mind
is bright, and she is able to read a little and knit a
good deal. I inclose a post-office order for fifteen dol-
lars. Please accept five from me,

" I should be glad to hear that the money reaches
you safely, so I inclose a card addressed to us, for re-
ply. I am, with very great respect, dear madam,
" Yours, Abby W. May,"

"EicHMOXD, Ind., April 15, 1S75.

" Sojourner Truth : —

" My Good Sister— Mrs. Dr. Thomp-
son and myself, on hearing of your afflictions in the
death of your grandson and your own sickness, have
been trying to raise some funds for you, but I am sor-
ry to be obliged, after waiting so long, to send you so
small a sum as two dollars. For this you will find
inclosed a money order. In reply I wish you would
tell me all about your situation and wants, and if pos-
sible I will send you more. Have you received any-
thing from the Julians ? Have your wants been sup-

280 "BOOK OF LIFE.

plied 1 Tell me all tlie facts. How are you getting
along with your sickness 1

" Mrs. Dudley sends with me our hearty good wish-
es, and we only regret that we cannot send you some-
thing more substantial to supply your needs. You
are remembered in our poor prayers in our family.
We shall never forget the light and cheer which your
presence and words gave us when here. The good
Lord, whom you have so faithfully served in labor for
your poor race, will take you through and give you, a
weary old pilgrim, a home of I'est and reward. Let
me hear from you soon.

" Yoiar fellow-pilgrim and sojourner,

" Joim Dudley."

" With earnest respect for your constant effort to
help humanity, and. to make the world better for your
being in it, I want you, dear friend, to think of me
in this life and the higher one as your friend and
sympathizer. J*]liza S. Leggett.

"Detroit, Mkh., June 20, 1871."

"Gkand Rapids, Marcu, 18T3.
" God bless Sojourner Truth, wlio spoke so grandly
at the Second Street M. E. Church, last night, and who
has been our honored guest for a few days.

" L. IL Peauce."

" ]C(piality of rights is the fust of rights.

" Charles Sumneu.
" hieiude Chamber, April 26, 1S70."

CORRESPONDENCE. 281

" Or.vxge, Feb. 10, 1875.

" Aunt Sojourner :—

" Dear Friend — I learned last
evening that tliee is dangerously ill, and that it is par-
alysis which has prostrated thee. I spent the even-
ing with Mrs. McKinn and learned it from her.
Most sincerely do I hope she has been misinformed,
and that thy illness is something from which thee may
recover, and that we may see thee again in the flesh ;
but if this cannot be I know that thee is prepared to
enter that beautiful world of spirits which has seemed
so near thee while hei'e.

" Dear Aunt Sojourner, may I among the many
who love thee here, be remembered by thee on that
beautiful shore of the river of everlasting life, and if
thee is permitted to return to the children of earth,
receive from thee some token of thy presence and con-
tiniTcd affection.

"Thee left a trunk here which we will fill and send
thee as soon as wc learn what will be most useful. I
do not doubt Itut that thee has kind friends who are
not only willing but anxious to make thee comforta-
ble in every respect, I mean in Battle Creek. But
those of thy friends who have not the privilege of re-
lieving thy wants in person, would like to add their
mite toward returning the kindness which thee, for so
many years, has shown others. May the Infinite
Love sustain thee, and that faith which has ever been
thy support in the trials of life become stronger and
purer as thee nears the golden gates, is the prayer
of thy loving friends,

"11. W. Johnson & Rowland Johnson."

282 ■ "BOOK OF LIFE."

"Staxdard Office, New York, Jan. 13, 1866.
"My Dear Friend : —

" I know you v/ill be glad to put
your mark to the inclosed petition, and get a good
many to join it, and send or take it to some member
of Congress to present. Do you know there are three
men, Schench, Jenkes, and Broomall, who have dared
to propose to amend the United States Constitution
by inserting in it the word ' male,' thus shutting all
women out by constitution from voting for president,
vice-president, and congressmen, even though they
may have the right to vote in the State for State of-
ficei's. It is a most atrocious proposition, and I know
Sojourner Truth will say, No, to it. God bless you,
and help you to do the good work before you, is the
wish of your friend, SuSAN^B. Antuoxy."

" BiDDLE House, Detroit, Jan. 29, 1869.

" Sojourner Truth : —

" My dear Grandmother in Is-
raelii am sorry I cannot get time to take you once
again by the hand before I leave Detroit, but I heie-
with inclose to you a five dollar bill to keep you in
mind of

'• Your dutiful grandson,

"Theodore TiLTON."

" My Dear Friend, Sojourner Truth : —

" If we nevoi" meet on earth again

my prayer is that wc may meet on the other shore.

" E. Dickinson.
'' JJrvdhmd, Wis,"

CORRESPONDENCE. 283

" SoJOURNEii Truth : —

" You want the government to
give land to the freed people. This would be true
statesmanship, as by so doing we should be paying a
little of the great debt we owe the freedmen, and at
the same time putting them in the way of supporting
and educating themselves, and enriching the nation.

" Seth Hunt.
" Northamptun, Mass., ISH."

" Boston, March 18, 1875.

" Mrs. F. W. Titus :—

*^ Dear Madam — I have your
prompt reply to my note of inquiry, and hasten to in-
close a check for twenty -five dollars for the benefit of
Sojourner Truth. It is the contribution of Mr.
Phillips, father, and myself.

"W. L. Garrison, Jun."

" Sojourner Truth : —

" Dear Friend — Your life is a liv-
ing epistle known and read of all men. You surely
are a sojourner, laboring for the truth. Your life has
been one of sorrow and toil, bearing in your own body
and your own family the bitter injustice and cruelty
that has sent you a missionary to the learned and un-
• learned alike for many years. You and I have cause
of sympathy, each with the other. God bless and
keep you ever. Calvin Fairbanks.*

''Florence, Mass., March 20, ISri"

* Calvin P'airbanks was confined for 12 years in Frankfort
prison, Kentucky, for aiding a slave to escape.

284 " BOOK OF LIFE."

"North Topeka, Kan., Nov. 20, IBIl.
" It has gratified me mucli, Sojovirner, to see your
face once more, and welcome you to my home and my
church. It is a dozen years since we first met, and,
possibly, we may meet again in this world ; if not, we
will in the next. Our meeting in this far West has
broiight to my mind the beautiful words of Phcebe
Carey : — ■

' As ships from far and distant ports
To distant harbors hurrying on,
Meet with each other on the deep,
And hail, and answer, and are gone,

' So we upon the sea of life,

Have met as mortals often will,
One from the prairies of the West,
One from the land of rock and rill.

' So we shall pass on separate ways,
As vessels parting on the main.
And in the years to come, our paths
May never meet or cross again.

' Yet when life's voyage all is done,
Where'er apart our paths may tend,
We'll drop our anchors sidfc by side
In the sauie harbor at the end.'

" Thomas W. Jones.
" Pastor of Cong. Church.''''

" SOJOUKNEU :

"The words of my husband are wanuly
echoed from my heart, and I feel more than gratified
to have had tlie opportunity of entertaining you in my
own home. Be sure you will always be held in loving
I'emembrance by us alh ]Iklen M. Jonks."

CORRESPONDENCE. 285

" Dear Sojourner : —

" At your request I record the fact
tliat I succeeded in registering my name in the First
Precinct of the Ninth Ward, and on Tuesday, tlie 4th
of April, cast the first vote for a state officer deposited
in an American ballot-box by a woman for the last
half century. After the vote was deposited, I present-
ed a vase of flowers to the inspectors, and also handed
them a large pictiire representing a large crowd of
women in darkness, just entering the portals of an
arch, which were inscribed, ' Liberty,' and upon which
an eagle was perched. The gates were held open by
Columbia and the Goddess of Justice. The foremost
woman held in her hands a scroll, inscribed, ' The
Fourteenth Amendment.' To the right were imps of
darkness fleeing av/ay, some with barrels of whiskey.
On the left was pictured the Capitol of Washington,
with men crowding its steps, cheering, etc. Streams of
light flowed upon them, while, with the exception of
this and the foreground, the picture was darkness inten-
sified. The following lines appeared underneath : —

" 'We come, free America, five millions strong,
In darkness and bondage for many years long.
We've marched in deep silence, but now we miroll
The Fourteenth Amendment, which gives us a soul.
Glory, glory, hallelujuh, glory, etc.,
As we go marching on.'

" Kannette B, Gardner.
" Detroit, Mich., June 30, 1S71."

" With a great deal of esteem,

" Your friend, John R. French."

286 "BOOK OF LIFE."

" Sojourner Truth loctnrod before the Pewnuio Teui-
perance Society hxst evening. She held the aitdience
in breathless attention for one hour. May the T^ord
guide and pi'otect her in her errands of mercy, and
may her days be multiplied. One great desire of my
heart has been gratified, which was to meet Sojourner
and converse witli her face to face.

" Mrs. E. a, Chaddook,

" President Pewamo Temperance Society."

"Bristol, Cox.v., 1840.

" Sister Dean : —

" I send yoi; this living messenger, as I
believe her to be one that God loves. Ethiopia is
stretching forth her hands unto God. You can see by
this sister that God does, by his Spirit alone, teach
his own children things to come. Please receive her,
and she will tell you some new things. I^et her tell
her story without interruption, give close attention,
and you will see that she has the leaven of truth, and
that God helps her to see where but few can. She
can not read or write, but the law is in her heart.
Send her to brother Rice's, brother (Jlapp's, and where
she can do most good.

" From your brother in looking for the speedy com-
ing of Christ, Henry L. Bradley."

"May the God of truth sojourn with you through
this world, and then give you an abundant entrance
into mansions prejiared for yo\i in Heaven.

" T. B. Welch.

*' Vitieland, N. J., Dec. en, JSGO."

CORRESPONDEIST'E. 28?

" HoPEDALE, Mass., July 28, 1870.
" Faithful mother in Israel,

Raised up to bless thy people,

Fearless for God's righteousness,

Witness for Triith's alniightiness,

Scourge of scornful oppression,

Shanier of vain profession,

Tender nurse of feebleness,

Helper of sad neediness.

Friend of all humanity.

And practical Christianity,

Wondrous age of thy sojournment.

Passing strange thy life's concernment,

Stranger than the tales of fiction.

Full of woe and benediction,

But crowned with rich fruition,

May thy Heavenly Father bless thee,

And guardian angels oft caress thee,

Till all thy toils are ended,

And thy spirit has ascended,

To be with Jesus mansioned,

Among his countless ransomed.

" Adin Ballou,
"Lucy H. Ballou."

" Sojourner Truth is the most marvelous person we
have ever had the j^leasure of meeting. May God
spare her, to see her heart's desire accomplished.

" Mrs. L. H. Pearce."

"ViXELAND, Jan. 4, 1870.
" The Lord and good angels have blest you and your
work, and will bless you in that better world where
I hope to meet Sojourner Truth. John Gage."

288 " BOOTv OF LIFE,"

"NiLES, Mich., Oct. 0, 1S73.
"This neigliborliood has been favored with the
pi'esence of Hojoixrnei' Truth among us. She dined
yesterday at S. A. Gardiner's, took tea with Mrs.
Henry Moore, and spent the niglit at M F. Reed's.
The Lord has blessed us with this angel in disguise,
which has made our hearts very glad. May he bless
lier most abundantly. Mrs. H. Moore."

" West Medwat, Dec. 21st, ]8T0.

" Dear Aunty Sojourner Truth : —

" We intended to ride
down to see you before you left Dr. Gale's, but shall
not be able, for Mi\ Ray has been to Woonsocket
twice this week, and the rest of the week he is so
much engaged that we cannot come. I am rather dis-
appointed, for I wanted to see your dear face once
more. Mr. Ray wishes me to tell you that he saw
brother Gilbert Haven on Monday, and he said that
he had been looking for news from you for some time,
but did n't know your whereabouts. When Mr. Ray
told him that you would spend Christmas with him,
' God willing,' he said, ' That's good. Now toe'll have
a big time.' Mr. Haven is anticipating your visit with
a great deal of pleasure, and I know you will have a
nice time. We are all well. Our circle met this
week, P. M. and there were many kind inquiries for
you. I am sorry you could not have stayed longer
with us. May God bless you. I feel that the con-
versations we had, did me a great deal of good, partic-
ularly the relation of your experience on Sunday even-
ing after meeting.

" Yours in Christian love, Justina B. Ray."

CORRESPONDENCE. 289

" Philadelphia, MAr 9, 1870.

'' Mrs. Titus :—

" We were made glad last evening by the
return of our old friend, Sojourner, from Washington,
where she has been for two months. She looks very-
well and bright, and is in her very best spirits as you
will see by the following statement : —

" She has received from the government, through
the influence of Gen. Howard, three hundred and
ninety dollars, being fifteen dollars per month for
twenty-six months. She has collected other funds to
the amount of four hundred arid fifty dollars, for which
I send my check payable to your order, which you will
please to pay to William Merritt on acc't of her mort-
gage, and get him to send the receipt to me with a
statement of her accounts.

" She has lived to see her people delivered, and we
may all rejoice with her.
" Yours truly,

" Henry T. Child, M. D.

*' tioJf. Race SV

"Floeence, Mass., JMarch S, IbTl.
" Sojourner Truth : —

" Bear Friend — Mr. Hunt informs
me to-day that Mr. Wheedon, Methodist minister in
Northampton, will appoint a meeting for you in his
.church, next week Tuesday evening, and will himself
cause notice thereof to be given next Sunday in all
the churches in town, or in such of them as will give
the notice. Mr. Hunt will also have the notice in
the -Free Fress printed next Friday, and in the Ga::.eUe

K

290 • "BOOK OF LIFE."

printed next week, Tuesday. Now if yon will inform
me on what evening next week you wish to have a
meeting in Florence, I will also have notice given
here next Sunday, by the Methodists, the Congrega-
tionalists, and in our meeting. Will also have the
notice given in the Free Press of next Friday (if I get
your i^eply in season), and in the Gazette of next week,
Tuesday. You will be welcome to the use of our hall
next week, either AVednesday, Thursday, or Friday
evening. Please send me word to-morrow, if you can,
which evening you will occupy. If not to-morrow,
send word the next day, and oblige,

" Yours truly, Samuel L. Hill."

"On Saturday, Jan. 1st, 1870, our house received
a new baptism, through Sojourner Truth, whose voice
is continually praising God for the blessings bestowed
upon her, and never murmuring because of hardships
endured, ^^he has been a wonderful teacher to me.
I thank my God that I have met Sojourner Truth.

" Portia Gage."

"Washington, Apbil 10, 1807.
" Isaac Post, Esq. : —

'■'■Dear Sir — Inclosed find a post-
office money order for $20, which is intended for So-
joui-ner Truth, it being the amount due her from the
New York Freedmen's Commission for December last.
Please assure her of my regards, and that we shall be
glad to see her when she returns.

<' Yours truly, A. E. Newton,

^'Siqi't of Schools, d-c"

CORRESPONDENCE. 291

" Sojourner Truth has been very acceptably received
by the people of Vineland, and I trust that the many
earnest words she has uttei-ed, both in public and pri-
vate, for the cause of woman and the abolition of the
death penalty, will be like seed cast upon good ground.

" Deborah L. Butler.

"Jan. 17, 1870."

Sojoui'ner was most cordially and hospitably enter-
tained whilst in Lawi-ence, Kansas, by a family of
the name of Simpson, bankers in that place.

The following testimonials of their respect are
transcribed from her " Book of Life" : —

"May your future. Sojourner, be ever brighter
than your faith. W. A. Simpson."

'' I wish you the same, Sojourner.

" Laura B. Simpson."

" Sojourner : —

" May ovir faith be like thine, and our
duty as well done. Kate L. Simpson."

"The Lord bless you, Sojourner, and may your im-
mortal crown be studded with many stars.

" Hannah P. Simpson."

" The Lord bless you, sister Sojourner, I believe
yovx ai'e endued by the Spirit of the Lord in your ef-
forts for the elevation of your race.

" Samuel Simpson.
'^ Laiorence, Kansas, Dec, 1, 1S71."

292 "BOOK or life."

" Petekborough, N. Y., Dec. 11, 1868.

" My Dear Sojourner Truth : —

" I cannot let you go with-
out telling you on paper liow highly we have prized
your visit to us. We have enjoyed your wit and
powers of description, we have been instrvTcted by
your wisdom, and we have welcomed your religion.
I trust that this is not your last visit to Peterborovxgh,
and that the good Lord and Father will spare you to
come again to us. Wherever you shall go, there will,
I trust, be good friends to receive you, to bless you,
and to be blessed by you. I know that wherever you
go you will be useful, for the head and heart that you
carry with you are continually doing good.

" With much love to you from my dear wife and
myself, your friend, Gerritt Smith."

" Sojourner Truth : —

" With weary hand, yet steadfast will.
In old age as in youth,
Thy Master found thee, sowing still
The good seed of his truth.

" Rev. E. Marble.
'^ Schovlcraff, Mich. Conference."

" Friend Sojourner :—

" It would be folly in me to ask
the Great Spirit to bless that which he has already so
abundantly blessed. Why should I invoke him to
shower blessings upon thy head, or strew thy pathway
with ilowers ? Do not all these jewels naturally be-
long to ^nd sparkle around the footprints of those

CORRESPONDENCE. 293

who, like you, go about doing tlieiv Master's business 1
'T is not race, profession, or position, but knowing the
right and doing it, which shall entitle an individual to
a safe passport to the home of the angels.

" Warren Hamson.
" Hammonton, N. J., LS^'o.'"

"Toledo, Ohio, Jan. 12, 18G0.>

"Sister Sojourner: —

"I have received my commis-
sion to return to Washington and Richmond as soon
as I can possibly get ready, i. e., collect about |300
more to go with. I want to be ready the latter part
of next week. Oh, how I want to know how you are
getting along. I have not been to Battle Creek, and
hai-dly think I can reach it ; but I have written them
and hope they will send money and clothes by me to
you. I cannot set precise date, but may, in a week
or ten days, see Washington.

" Our Home is getting along finely. The colored
people of Adrian placed $40 in my hands to buy a
cow for the little folks at the Home. I have bought
a good cow for them, which gives eleven quarts of
milk per day, and Mr. Don gave them another, so
they are nicely provided for. The colored people also
gave us a Christmas donation for the Haviland Home,
valued at $113.84, mostly in provisions and clothing,
with some money to purchase hens for the Home.

" I must close with earnest desire for your prosper-
ity in all things.

" Yours for the poor and needy,

"Laura S. Haviland,"

294 "BOOK OF LIFE."

" WAsniNCTON, March 18, 1874.

" Dear, Blessed Sojourner Truth : — ■

" I must address
yoii from the heart, mother of love and trixth as you
are. I am blest and thankful that I have held your
hand in mine, been greeted by you, and heard your
voice, which, longer years than I have known, has
been lifted up throughout the land against oppression
and sin, say to me, ' I know your soul !' Blessed
words ! Cheering me on my path and to be proved
thrice blessed in the spirit world, where you and I
will learn the deep import of your greeting, ' I know
your soul.' God grant me strength also to 'be faithful
xmto the end,' even as you have been.

" When Christ the Lord makes up his jewels, you
then exalted will receive the crown eternal, and clothed
in white rise upward in joy unspeakable and full of
glory. Thanks be unto God who giveth us the vic-
tory. Reverently and lovingly,

" Your child and sistei',

" Jennie Leys."

"Pawtucket, Nov. 10, 1870.
" Dear Sojourner : —

" I hope there yet may be found
ten righteous people to save us this way. At any
rate, perhaps you'll help us to hunt them up when
you come. There is a nice little hall here which the
temperance people occupy only "Wednesday evenings.
In applying for it, I found old friends of yours who
knew you in Bensonville, and it was at once tendered
to you in your behalf, free of any expense whatevei'.
" Yours in haste, J, Adams."

CORRESPONDENCE. 295

"Benzonia, Mich., Nov.'S, 18G4.
" Dear Mother, Sojourner Truth :—

" "We have received
your ' sliadow ' all right — very beautiful. We esteem
it very much. May Grod bless you and make you
very useful, and prepare you for your higher life, and
rest, and glory. To day we suppose Father Abraham
is again elected. May God bless him and give him
all needed wisdom and grace.

" We all unite in much love to yoix.
" Yours for the good cause,

" George Thompson."

" Fkom the Lion's Den, Mount Glendel."
" He who feedeth the ravens, careth for thee, true
Sojourner, and blesses all thy labors of love abundantly.
Go on proclaiming glad tidings. Preach the true gos-
pel, and curse the follies and sins of this world.
" Your Old Lion S, Dollie Lion."

" ScauTLKiLL, Chestek Co., Pa.
"April 5, 1863.

" To Sojourner Truth : —

" Dear Sister — I saw, this morn-
ing, in the Anti-slavery Standard, an extract from
a letter written by Mrs. Stickney to our mutual friend,
' Uncle ' Joseph Dugdale. I was glad to learn that
you are among kind friends. Although my sympa-
thies were moved at the thought of your poverty and
bodily atHictions, yet it was not with feelings of sor-
row or regret. I rather rejoiced that your needs
should have been the medium through which I learned
vour whereabouts, and that you still breathe in the

20G " EOOIv OF LIFE."

atmosphere of truth, rvud feel an interest in tlie wel-
fare of your race and all mankind. That notice will
unquestionably bring you all needed temporal help as
far as pecuniary aid can supply your wants. I will
inclose a mite in this letter for you. It would be
more only I that feel assured it will not be needed, as,
no doubt, hundreds will feel glad of the opportunity of
contributing to your needs.

" Let U3 bless and praise God for his manifold goo.l-
ness. God's goodness is none the less displayed in his
abused mercies turned into curses by a wicked people
than in tlie fruition of divine joy by his obedierit
children. May his spirit in such fullness as thy ves-
sel can contain and enjoy, ever be with thee. With
fond Christian affection,

"Fare^-ell. Isaac Price."

"PeTERUO ROUGH, May 4, 1809.

'•' My Dear Sojourner : —

" I was very glad to receive
a letter from you, but sorry to learn that you ai'e suf-
fering from indisposition. I hope you will soon be
well enough to go to Brooklyn and call here on your
way. We very often talk of the pleasant visit we
had from you, and when I am alone I frequently recall
the words you si)oke to us and feel refreshed and
strengthened by them. I send you ten dollars, for
food and fire as far as it will go. Wish it were more,
but it must suffice now.

" God bless you always, and keep you in his own
peace. In much love,

" Ann C. Smith."

CORRESPONDENCE. 297

" Ai.KxANDRiA, May C, ISGd.

" SoJOURXER Truth : —

^^ Dear Fr'tnul — The bearer of
this note is desirous of going North and taking thence
his family, consisting of wife and dangliter. I have
known him since my stay here, and recommend hiin
to yoiir consideration. If anything can be done as
regards transportation, &c., it will be thankfully re-
ceived by him.

" Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

" A. W. Tucker,
''A. A. Surgeon, U. S. A."

" Glad to see our dear co-laborer, Sojourner Truth,
again. Lucretia Mott.

EoadSich, Philadelphia, Eleventh Month, ISGOr

"Ever yours, Henry Wilson,

" Senator, Mass.

" April 20, ISrO."

" This is my first interview with Abraham Lin-
coln's 'Aunty ' Sojourner Truth. A pleasant season.

" George Truman.
'' Fhiladelphia, Eleventh Month, 1869."

" I hope, dear Sojourner, that you will be enfran-
chised before you leave iis for the better land.
" Your true friend,

" Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
"Neio York, May 4, 1870."

a Very truly yours,

"Mary A. Dodge — Gail Hamilton."

298 " BOOK OF LIFE."

"My friend, Sojourner Truth, the friend of the

human race — God bless you.

"Jacob Walton.
"Adrian, Mu^i., ISri."

" Your brother in the hope of glory,

"B. Sunderland,
'^ Pres. Minister, Wash. D. C."

" May God bless and giiide you !

" Anne G. Phillips.
''Aug, i."

" Your true friend and co-worker,

" Lucy N. Coleman.
"/Sj/rac«se, N. Y."

" Your old young friend, W. F. Morgan.

" Leavenworth, Kan."

"S. C. Pomeroy, Senator, Kan.
" April SO, 1870."

"J. M. Thayer, Senator, Neb.
"April SO, 1S70."

'A. McDonald, Arkansas."

*' Most sincerely your friend,

" Georce W. Julian."

" Henry E. Benson, Laicrence, Kansas."

"Jacob M. Howai-d, Ilichiyan Senator."

T. M. Morrell, Illinois Senator."

" Yours truly, J. W. Patterson."

IN WESTERN NEW YORK. 299

"J. M. BowEN, Mayw of Washington."

'* George E. Spencer, Seiuitor, Ala"

"D. D. Pratt, U. S. Senator, Ind"

" H. Pv. Revels, Seiiator, Miss., Colored."

" J. S. Adams, Louisiana."

" Z. Chandler, Mich.'

" R. E. Fenton, N. Y."

" Jas. S. Fowler, Senator, Tenn."

VISITS WESTERN NEW YORK.

" We met Sojourner at Angola Station, stopped at
Joseph Linton's to dinner, then took her to Alonzo
Hawley's, a few rods distant, where she spent the
night. The next afternoon Mrs. Hawley brought her
to our house. Sunday, the 6th, called a meeting for
her at Hemlock Hall, where, at 10 o'clock A. M. she
addressed an appreciative audience of four hundred
people. Wednesday morning we cari'ied her to
George W. Taylor's, distant six miles. The afternoon
of the same day, IMr. Taylor and wife carried her five
miles farther into the town of Collins, to the comforta-
ble home of Isaac and Lydia Allen, aged people like her-
self, who extended to her a hearty welcome. In the
evening she spoke to a good audience in the Rosen-
burgh school- house near by. The following day,
Thursday, was spent by Sojourner with the family of

300 " BOOK OF LIFE."

Mrs. Cook, wlio arc relatives of tlic Aliens. The
next night, Mr. Cook took her four miles, to Collins
Center', There she addressed a large andience in the
new Free Church, and felt that her labors were not in
vain. Returned with Mr. Cook to the house of Isaac
Allen.

" Friday night, Mr. Allen and wife went with her
to Mr, Rosenburgh's, who took her to Gowanda, where
she addressed an intensely interested audience. Sat-
urday she was conveyed to G. W. Taylor's, and Sun-
day brought to Kerr's Corners, to the home of Lewis
Baldwin, where she remained until the 14th, and then
spoke to a large gathering in the Methodist Church.
After the meeting she came home with us once moi"e.

" She seems very quiet and happy here, and we are
enjoying a feast which we may never be privileged to
enjoy again. It is a blessing to ba with her and re-
ceive her experience from her own lips. Wednesday
night, James Varney carried her to Bront Center,
where was assembled an appreciative audience in the
new Methodist Church. On Friday night, the school-
house in Pontiac was filled with people eager to listen
to her teachings. Since that time she has been very
quiet until the 2 2d, when she accompanied us to a
political picnic at Hemlock Hall, where was convened
an audience of probably three thousand people to lis-
ten to able speakers. I have endeavored in a hurried
manner to write a little diary for Sojourner, to show
to such of her friends as are anxious to know whei-e
she has been and what has been her success,

" Phebk jNIerhttt Varney."

IN AVESTERN NEW YORK. 301

" James Varney conveyed Sojourner Truth to our
house fourth clay, the 23d of ninth month, 1868, where
she remained till the following sixth day, when we car-
ried her to the house of our son-in-law, P. Paxton,
where she remained till seventh day evening, when
she went to Potter's Corners to attend a large repub-
lican meeting in which she made a few remarks. This
caused such enthusiasm among the people that it
opened the way for a very large meeting the next
evening. The large hall was nearly filled with an at-
tentive audience, which she addressed for moi-e than
an hour, in her usually impressive and sarcastic man-
ner, much to the satisfaction of the majoi-ity present.
From thence, she went home with Alfred Moore and
wife, with whom she spent several days, to the edifi-
cation of the neighboring people who came to see her.
In conclusion, we rejoice in the opportunity of becom-
ing partially acquainted with Sojourner Truth. May
she yet survive long to combat in her peculiar and
impressive manner the errors with which this nation
is enthralled. Isaac Baker.

"East Hamburg, Erie Co., N. F."

" On the 29fch of ninth month, 1868, J. B. C. Eddy
went to Harry Abbot's after Sojourner Truth to at-
tend a meeting held in Dr. Dolin's neighborhood,
which was very well attended, and to good satisfaction
to those in favor of liberty. On the first day of tenth
month, she held a meeting at Griflin's Mills, in the
lecture room, speaking to a good and attentive audi-
ence, telling them many truths. Friend Sandford
took up a collection for her. I can say on our part
that her company has been very acceptable, and I hope

302 "BOOK OF LIFE."

she may live to have her wishes gratified in seeing
Grant sit in the presidential chair.

"J. B. C. Eddy."

"On Monday, Oct. 19, 18G8, Sojourner Truth, be-
ing in Coiirtland village, was sent for by C. P. Gros-
venor, and brought to Mr. Granville's. Tuesday eve
she addressed a crowded assembly in the Methodist
Church with good effect. She had been several days
at Courtland, and lectured to a multitude, having her
home at the house of the younger Dr. Goodyear, who
was happy to have her company and make her ac-
quaintance. Here she was visited by many ladies
and gentlemen. Cyrus P. Grosvenor.

''McamnviUe, N. F."

MEETING IN NEW LISBON.

"Sojourner Truth interested an audience in New
Lisbon, Ohio, at the Methodist Episcopal Church, for
nearly an hour, talking of slavery in this country, and
the suffering and injustice inseparable from it. If
earnestness is eloquence, she has a just claim to that
appellation; for she makes some powerful appeals,
which cannot but strike a chord of sympathy in every
human heart.

" She sang the following original song at the close
of the meeting :—

*'I am pleading for my people —
A poor, down-trodden race,
Who dwell in froedoiu's boasted land,
With no abiding place.

MEETING IN NEW LISBON. 30

" I am pleading that my people
May have their rights astored [restored] ;
For they have long been toiling,
And yet had no reward.

" Tliey are forced the crops to culture,
But not for them they yield,
Although both late and early
They labor in the field.

" Whilst I bear upon my body
The scars of many a gash,
I am pleading for my people
Who groan beneath the lash.

o

o*-

" I am pleading for the mothers
Who gaze in wild despair
Upon the hated auction-block,
And see their children there.

" I feel for those in bondage —
Well may I feel for them ;
I know how fiendish hearts can be
That sell their fellow-men.

" Yet those oppressors steeped in guilt -
I still would have them live ;
For I have learned of Jesus
To sufi"er and forgive.

((

I want no carnal weapons.
No enginery of death ;
For I love not to hear the sound
Of war's tempestuous breath.

" I do not ask you to engage
In death and bloody strife,
I do not dare insult my God
By asking for their life.

304 "BOOK OF LIFE."

" But while your kindest sympathies
To foreign lands do roam,
I would ask you to remember
Your own oppressed at home.

" I plead with you to sympathize
With sighs and groans and scars,
And note how base the tyranny
Beneath the stripes and stars."

TOBACCO VICTORY— THE BRANDED HAND.

The habit of smoking was contracted by Sojourner
in early youth. Not many years since, whilst travel-
ing in Iowa, a gentleman asked her if she believed the
Bible, to which she readily assented. Her friend
said, " The Bible tells us that ' no unclean thing can
enter the kingdom of Heaven.' Now what can be
more filthy than the breath of a smoker 1 " " Yes,
child," she answered, "but when I goes to Heaven I
spects to leave my breff behind me." But as time
passed on she became convinced that the habit was
wrong. She had not courage to chide people for us-
ing spirituous liquors while indulging in the use of
tobacco, herself. Accordingly she discontinued the
habit. She was told it would affect her health. She
said, '' I'll quit if I die." She did quit and lived !

* "Rochester, . I AX. 11, 18(J9.

" Dear Friend Sojourner : —

" The announcement in
tlic Anti-slavery Standard oi thy having laid aside
the pipe, is receiving considerable attention, I re-

A TOBACCO VICTORY. 305

ceived a letter from Dr. Trask, of Fitchljurg, Mass.,
who rejoices greatly over thy grand and triumphant
effort, and says, ' It ought to be proclaimed far and
near to strengthen others to cast aside the abomina-
tion.' _
" Also a letter has just come to me from our old
and highly esteemed friend, Jonathan Walker, the
original of ' The Branded Hand.' Thou wilt probably
remember him. ' He was captain of a small vessel run-
ning from New York to the Gulf States. He secreted
several slaves and brought them to the free States,
was taken and imprisoned, and the letters S S branded
on his right hand, signifying slave stealer ; but in our
vernacular we should interpret it slave savior. This
vessel with its entire cargo was confiscated, and he
lay in a filthy jail in Florida for several months.

"Amy Post."

"MusKEGox, Mich., Jan. 1, 1860.
" My Dear Aged and Venerated Friend : —

" Your earnest and effect-
ual devotion, for so long a time, to the cause of hu-
man redemption, has, from my first knowledge of
your missionary services to the present time, im-
pressed me (as well as many others) with the warmest
fraternal regard for your welfare and usefulness.
•When I saw it announced by Amy Post, in the Anti-
slavenj Standard, that you had abandoned the pipe at
your advanced age, I could form no other conclusion
than that you had done it under the influence of the
keenest moral and religious sensibilities,

' I have known ministers and many professors of

306 "BOOK OF LIFE."

roligion, as well as othei' good people, who ti-iecl hard
and long to abandon the use of tohacco, yet made a
failure, and confessed that they could not conquer the
liabit. I distinctly remember, also, the tedious and
desperate struggle I had to emancipate myself from
twenty years' slavery to the foul weed. Considering
the effect its long use has upon the nem'ous system, I
could hardly suppose you could have achieved so great
a victory at your age without a break-down ; nor do I
look upon so heroic an act as much short of a miracle.
May the example of such self-sacrifice in you, indeed
stimulate and encourage {as Amy says) ' others to do
likewise,' is the earnest desire of joxiv
" Sincere friend,

"Jonathan Walker."

"P. S. I am not sure, but I think I met you
twenty-five years ago at Bronsonville, North Hanston,
Mass., soon after my return from imprisonment in
Florida. J. w."

The heroic deeds of Jonathan Walker have ren-
dered his name immortal ; and our prince of song has
paid them a just and noble tribute in the exquisite
poem entitled, " The Branded Hand," from which the
following is an extract : —

" Why, that brand is highest honor ! than its traces never yet
On old armorial hatchments was a prouder blazon set ;
And thy unborn generations, as they tread our rocky strand,
Shall tell with pride the story of their father's branded hand !

<' Then lift that manly right hand, bold ploughman of the wave!
Its branded palm shall prophesy, ' Salvation to the Slave.'

SOJOURNER truth's AGE. 307

Hold up its fire-wrought language, that whoso reads may feel
His heart swell strong within him, his sinews change to sleel.

" Hold it up before our sunshine, up against our northern air.
Ho ! men of Massachusetts, for the love of God, look there !
Take it henceforth for your standard — like the Bruce's heart

of yore.
In the dark strife closing round ye, let that hand be seen before!

" And the tyrante of the slave-land shall tremble at that sign.
When it points its finger southward along the Puritan line :
Woe to the State-gorged leeches, and the church's locust band,
When they look from slavery's ramparts on the coming of
that hand."

SOJOURNER TRUTH'S AGE,

Sojourner is often asked her age. She is as igno-
rant of its date as is the fossil found in the limestone
rock, or the polished pebble upon the sea-shore, which
has been scoured by the waves ever since the sea was
born.

It was the diabolical scheme of those dealers in
human flesh to so stultify the brain of the slave that
it might become incapable of reason, reflection, or
memory. The slave child followed the condition of its
mother, and seldom had any knowledge of father, or
date of birth. They were Pompey or Cuffee, Dinah or
Chloe, as the case might be, having no permanent sec-
ond name, but taking the sui-name of the master ; con-
sequently they received a new cognomen with each
new owner.

Sojourner counts her years from the time she was
emancipated — says she began to live then. She

308 "BOOK OF LIFE."

thinks it is what we accomplish that makes life long
or short, and says that some have been on earth scores
of years, yet die in infancy.

The following account is well authenticated : —
The act of 1817 in the State of New York emanci-
pated all slaves of the age of 40 years. From this
time all became free as fast as they arrived at the age
of 25 years, till 1827, when all were free. Sojourner
became free in 1817. This statement is corroborated
by an old gentleman by the name of Miller, who was
brought up in the vicinity of Sojourner's birthplace.
He recently died in Green Co., Wisconsin.

HER PARENTAGE.

Mrs. Stowe was mistaken in regard to Sojourner's
ancestry. Her mother's parents came from the Coast
of Guinea, but her paternal grandmother was a Mo-
hawk squaw. The " whoop " Sojourner gave in the
horse-car at Washington was probably a legacy from
her Mohawk ancestor.

EXTENT OF HER LABORS.

Sojourner Truth has traveled and lectured in the
following States : —

New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maine,
Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, jMinnesota, Ohio,
Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Connecti-
cut, Vermont, New Hampshire, llhode Island, Dela-
ware, Maiyland, Virginia, and the District of Colum-
bia.

ANECDOTES. 309

ANECDOTES.

SOJOURNER TRUTH AT ABINGTON.

About 20 years ago Sojourner attended a grove-
meeting at Abington, Mass., to celebrate negro
emancipation in the "West Indies. INIany of tlie old
line abolitionists were there, — Pillsbiiry, Garrison,
Phillips, Stephen and Abby Foster, Henry C. Wright,
Charles Lenox Rimond, and a host of others. Two
fugitives from southern slavery, who were traveling
over the underground railroad to Canada, stopped off a
train to enjoy a day with friends before going to that
" cold but happy land." They sat upon the platform
with the speakers. One, a very large man, was
squeezed into a coat much too small for him. The
other, a diminutive man, wore a coat of such ample
proportions that it hung in folds about his liliputian
form. But as these garments had been given them
by employees on the underground express, and were
the first of the kind they had ever owned, the fit did
not appear to disturb them, judging by the pleased
look upon their faces. The contrast between their
present condition and what might have been, had they
been overtaken in theii* flight and dragged back into
slavery, filled them with bliss. They were compara-
. tively happy.

These coat collars were nicer than the iron collars
which might now have been on their necks ; and the
cuffs, softer than the iron cuffs which they knew the
captured fugitive was made to wear. The voice of
blood-hounds baying in the distance, was superseded

810 "BOOK OF LIFE."

by kindly human voices. Traveling toward the North
Star by night, they had hidden in dark caves and un-
derbrush during the day, avoiding the light of the
sun. Now, streams of golden sunlight flowed around
them. Surely, they were receiving " beauty for ashes
and the oil of joy for mourning."

One of them arose, and in a brief manner expressed
his appreciation of this mighty change, and his deep
gratitude to the people of Massachusetts for their
kindness and generosity. At the close of his re-
marks, which were received with applause, Mr. Gar-
rison said, " Sojourner Truth will now address you in
her peculiar manner, and Wendell Phillips will fol-
low." Sojourner began by improvising a song, com-
mencing, " Hail ! ye abolitionists." Her voice was
both sweet and powerful, and as her notes floated
away through the tree-tops, reaching the outermost
circle of that vast multitude, it elicited cheer after
cheer. She then made some spicy remarks, occasion-
ally referring to her fugitive brethren on the platform
beside her. At the close of her address, in which by
witty sallies and pathetic appeals, she had moved the
audience to laughter and tears, she looked about the
assemblage and said, " I will now close, for he that
Cometh after me is gi-eater than I," and took her seat.
Mr. Phillips came forv,^ard holding a paper in his
hand containing notes of Sojourner's speech, which he
used as texts for a powerful and eloquent appeal in
behalf of human freedom. Sojourner says, " I was
utterly astonished to hear him say, ' Well has So-
journer said so and so ' ; and I said to myself. Lord,
did I say that 1 How differently it sounded coming

ANECDOTES. 311

from liis J.ips ! He th-e.ssed my poor, bare s})ecch in
such beautiful garments that I scarcely recognized it
myself."

As Sojourner was returning to the home of Amy
Post in Rochester, one evening, after having delivered
a lecture in Corinthian Hall, a little policeman stepped
up to her and demanded her name. She paused,
struck her cane firmly upon the ground, drew herself
up to her greatest hight, and in a loud, deep, voice
deliberately answered " I am that I am." The fright-
ened policeman vanished, and she concluded her walk
v.'ithout further questioning.

During the war. Sojourner met one of her demo-
cratic friends, who asked her, " What business are you
now following 1" She quickly replied, "Years ago,
when I lived in the city of New York, my occupation
was scouring brass door knobs ; but noio I go about
scouring copperheads."

At a temperance meeting in one of the towns of
Kansas, Sojourner, whilst addressing the audience,
was mucli annoyed by frequent expectorations of to-
bacco juice upon the fioui-. Pausing and contemplat-
ing the pools of liquid filth, with a look of disgust
u})on her face, she remarked that it had been the
custom for her Methodist brethren to kneel in the
house of God during prayers, and asked how. they
could kneel upon these floors? Said she, speaking

312 " BOOK OF LIFE."

with empliasis, " If Jesus was hei'e he would scourge
you from this place,"

Previous to the war, Sojourner hold a sei'ies of meet-
ings in northern Ohio. She sometimes made very-
strong points in the course of her speech, which she
knew hit the apologist of slavery pretty hard. At
the close of one of these meetings, a man came up to
her and said, •' Old woman, do you think that your
talk about slavery does any good ? Do yoii suppose
people care what you say 1 " " Why," continued ho,
'* I do n't care any more for your talk than I do for
the bite of a flea," " Perhaps not," she responded,
*'but, the Lord willing, I'll keep you scratching."

Sojourner was invited to sjieak at a meeting in
Florence, Mass. She had just returned from a fa-
tiguing trip, and not having thought of anything in
particular to say, arose and said, " Children, I have
come here to-night like the rest of you to hear what I
have got to say." Wendell Phillips was one of her
audience. Soon after this he was invited to address
a lyceum, and being unprepared for the occasion, as he
thought, began by saying, " I shall have to tell you as
my friend Sojourner Truth told an audience vindcr
similar circumstances, I have come here like the
rest of you to hear what I have to say."

AUTOGKAPHS.

313

Autographs of Distinguished Persons,

WHO HAVE BBFRIEXDED SOJOURNER TRUTH BY WORDS
or SYMPATHY AND MATERIAL AID.

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16 "BOOK OF LIFE."

NOTES ON THE AUTOGKAPHS.

In Sojourner's correspondence are found names of
such weight and power that it seemed fitting to have
them engraven for her " Book of Life. " Here are names
that are indelibly stamped upon the pages of their coun-
try's history, and inseparably connected with it —
names which will reverberate adown the centuries,
and the echoes be caught by the genei'ations in the
coming time — " immortal names that were not bom
to die," but which are synonyms of all that is most
exalted in human life and chai-acter — names of men
and women, the luster of whose lives shed a light on
humanity's page, pure and sparkling as the shimmer
of a white wing flashing through the yellow sunlight —
names of those who manifested their love to God by
tender compassion for the lowliest of his children.

The name of one who was dragged through the
streets of a populous city with a halter about his neck,
will be remembered when that city which permitted the
outrage, would be forgotten but for the immortality
attained through his sublime hei'oism. Boston with
its moving atoms will fade away, but the waves of
progress received an impetus from the breath of this
true devotee of freedom which will help to cleanse and
purify the streams of life till they are engulfed in
the ocean of eternity.

The name of one is written who onl}'- ** awaited the
opporttinity to enfranchise millions."

NOTES* ON THE AUTOGRAPHS. 817

I read the name of one who traveled many winters
among the hills of New England, braving its snow
drifts and piercing winds, to preach the gospel of free-
dom to those whose hearts were harder than the gran-
ite rocks over which he toiled, and chillier than the
snows and breath of winter. Abandoning a situation
of honor and profit, he consecrated his giant intellect,
and the best years of his life, to a cause that brought
neither honor nor profit, despised by mammon wor-
shipers and all who seek the applause of such. Be-
yond the turmoil of the present hour, when its noise
and uproar have died away, the refined and polished
future will render his verdict. He can afford to wait.
The present never knows its saviors; retrospection
clears the vision.

The influence of another, who labors with deep
earnestness in the Master's vineyard, confined to no
locality, knowing neither North nor South, but im-
parting his loving spirit to all races and conditions of
society, will be felt upon the tide of civilization whilst
its waves break upon the shores of time.

Here is the name of a noble woman who has gone
up Calvary bearing the cross, and gained the mount
of ascension with bleeding feet ; who has labored for
the rights of her race and for the rights of her sex,
braving the scorn and obloquy of conservatism. Bold
iconoclast ! endure a little longer. " The hour for
your ideas has not yet struck."

318 "BOOK OF LIFE."

()no, languisliiii!^ twelve years in prison, found com-
pensation for his sufferings in tlie wonls of tlic cli\ ine
Master, " Sick and in prison ye ministered unto me."

One of these, a world-renowned orator, said, " The
age of reading men has come. The age of thinking
men has come. The age of the masses has come."

•t?

One of fSojourner's friends, h\ her genius in the
delineation of character, oi)ened the world's eyes
to perceive that ii-responsible power vested in a
Legree was a dangerous thing, and that Uncle Toms
and Topsies were human beings after all.

Another inscribes this formula in Sojourner's " Book
of life " : " Equality of rights is the fii-st of rights."

A woman whose four-score years are so replete with
good words and deeds that the name falls like a ben-
ediction upon the listening ear, has taught her sex
that old age need not be desolate, but may be fragrant
as a garden of roses. White hairs, like a saint's aure-
ole, encircle her brow. "We involuntarily l)ow oi;r
hearts in worship when the honored name of Lucretia
Mott is pronounced.

Another is the name of Lydia INIaria Child, the key
note of whose usefixl life and brilliant intellect has
ever been attuned to freedom's cause.

One crossed and recrossed the Atlantic, to blend
his efforts with the little band of reformers which

NOTES ON THE ATtTOGRAPHS. 319

eventually slew the giant, Slavery, with a pehl)le of
truth, and demolished his castle, the corner stone of
which was lies, and its superstructure the bleeding
hearts of crushed humanity. Landing upon our
shores he was pursued by the hooting mob, as if the
Plutonian regions had been emptied at his heels.

G. S., meaning "Great Soul," gave farms to
poor blacks and whites, canning out Sojourner's idea
of encouraging industiy, and making wild lands a
source of revenue to the government. In Congress
he said, " Tnith lives and reigns forever. In pro-
portion as we obey the truth, are we able to discern
the truth." If all that is wi-ong within us was made
right, not only woidd our darkness give place to a
cloudless light, but like the angel of the Apocalypse we
should " stand in the sun."

Another could l^ear the torture of the branding iron
rather than be false to his convictions of duty.

Josephine S. Griffing labored for yeara to amel-
iorate the condition of the black race, and in her
system were sown, by overwork, the seeds of con-
sumption which boi-e speedy fruit.

Another in the sacred desk ever insisted that hu-
manity was of all things under heaven the most sa-
cred. A marble bust of this good man adorns the
city of Syi-acuse, and a friend writing of it says, " It
is eminently fitting that one of the purest of the once

320 "BOOK OF LIFE.

proscribed abolitionists should now be thus publicly
honored."

Another, who holds a high position under the gov-
ernment, is Sojourner's friend, and unites his efibrts
with hers to promote the welfare of the race which
has been so mercilessly tossed about by our Ship of
State. He encourages her to persevere in her efforts
to obtain a grant of land for the freed men, and lends
his influence to the cause.

And last but not least ai-e those royal souls who
sheltered and comforted the flying fugitive, who fed and
clothed him, who warmed him by the sacred fires of
their own domestic hearth-stones. The money they
have so freely given to the poor and needy, is out at
an interest whose profits are beyond the power of
arithmetic to calculate. Theii' names are engraven
upon human hearts as with a pen of fire; and to
them will the beatitude apply, " Blessed are the pure
in heart, for they shall see God."

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